


Planet of Tranquility

by bookscape



Category: Lost in Space (TV 1965)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 15:50:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 46,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20084782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookscape/pseuds/bookscape
Summary: On a seemingly peaceful water world, exists a catalyst that could destroy the galaxy.





	1. Chapter 1

_ **Planet of Tranquility** _

**The Robinsons have determined to finish the journey that they undertook over four years previously. But first, they plan to fulfill a promise to visit their underwater friends from the planet, ssHreana. It appears to be a planet of tranquility, an idyllic paradise, but looks can be deceiving................**

**I want to thank my friends from the GWwritersforum for their patient assistance in helping me edit this tale. This story is dedicated to them. I have gratefully borrowed the Robinson clan for the duration of their flight in my imagination. They, the Jupiter II and the Robot are the property of Twentieth Century Fox. Murreena, the flutter-dragons and all the others are the inventions of my warped little brain. I have thoroughly enjoyed having them as guests in my stories. If you want to use them, just ask. I am sure, as their agent, we can work out a deal.**

**Chapter One:**

**Paradise**

**Professor John Robinson lay quietly on the narrow beach, only half listening to the waves that were slowly making their way toward his feet.The sound of the waves, the ocean itself, had relaxed him a great deal in the last three weeks.So much so that the beating of his heart, the leisurely in and out of his breathing seemed to pattern themselves after the currents that flowed around him.Sighing languidly, he turned over on his side and caressed his wife’s shoulders.**

**“Oh, John, that feels so good,” she murmured without opening her eyes.He continued his light massage, working his way from her shoulders to her neck and then running his fingers through her sun-lightened red hair.Maureen Robinson giggled when his fingers worked their way around her ears, and then she woke up in earnest when he drew her to him in a fierce embrace, which ended in a long, deep kiss.******

**Drawing back slightly, he looked steadily into her intensely blue eyes, eyes that mirrored the sky and the sea.‘_It is unbelievable that we have been together for an entire month and a half.No interruptions, no conflicts.Like a second honeymoon.I love you, Mo,’ _he whispered in her mind and then took her in another embrace, his love fierce and possessive.After another passionate kiss, he lay back in the sand, comfortable with life.A short distance down away, their two flutter-dragons were rolling in the sand together, squeaking in pleasure.**

**With a contented sigh, Maureen ran her hand across his chest, her fingers finding their way through the dark thatch of hair.Lovingly, she gazed at him, drinking in his strength, his passion, his love.Her hands were still caressing his chest.“JohnRobinson, you are an incorrigible romantic.”She leaned over and reciprocated his kiss, but this one was not so long.She sat up, panting slightly.“I am going to have to go back in.I’m starting to feel oxygen deprived.”**

****

**“Mmm.I have that effect on you?” he teased, but his hazel eyes darkened slightly.He reached over and stroked her neck lightly.When he accidently touched the small device at the base of her skull, John mentally shuddered. **

****

**Maureen saw the look in his eyes, felt his slight touch and sensed the fear that wouldn’t totally go away.Sighing, she said, “John, it’s been two weeks and there have been no ill effects.This procedure is perfectly safe, reversible, and you just can’t imagine what you are missing.The children are learning so much from Murreena and her pod.The procedure might very well help you with your problem.”**

**“The rebreather is sufficient,” he responded tersely.He really wasn’t interested in debating his phobia at this time.**

**“John, just think about it some more.You might want to try the adaptation device for just a short while and see for yourself,” Maureen said, leaning over and kissing him quickly.**

**“Maureen,” John began, feeling his frustration turning into anger. Then he stopped.He saw the hopeful look on his wife’s face, knew that she was only thinking of his well being.He knew that she felt nearly as helpless as he did over this phobia of his.Sighing, he said, “Maureen, I simply am not ready right now.You know I would if I could, but I can’t force myself to do this.It’s too painful.”**

****

**“Oh, John,” she said, leaning over and kissing him again.“I understand.I just wish there was something I could do to help you.”**

**“There is something you can do.Go have fun.Give my love to the children.”**

****

**She smiled and got up, not bothering to brush the sand from her body.He sat up as Maureen walked into the ocean.Too soon the waves swallowed her up. He watched as Maggie dove into the water and followed Maureen, unaffected by the change in environment.Silverado had followed them and now sat bobbing on the waves, squeaking sadly at him.**

_**‘Go ahead, I’ll be here when you come back,’ **_**he told his zanling companion.**

****

**‘_John, come with me,’ _the little lizard begged.He just shook his head and his friend disappeared under the waves. **

****

**Turning over on his back, he looked at the turquoise sky above and thought about their journey that brought them to ssHreana.....**

**===================**

**There was a slight hint of rain in the air, and the sky to the east was dark and dreary.Dar, the heir apparent to the throne on Krimlon and John were walking slowly toward the Jupiter II, where all was in readiness for the impending launch.Dar spoke as they walked."Guardian, I will miss you and your family.It seems that the time has been entirely too short."******

**“And I will miss all of you as well,” John told him.He had long since ceased trying to get his Krimlon friends to stop calling him Guardian.“Tell Litha to take care of herself andcongratulations to you both,” he added with a smile. **

****

**“You know she’s expecting?” Dar looked at him in astonishment.**

**Laughing, John pointed to the silver lizard on his shoulder.Silverado squeaked pleasantly.“I suspected, but the zanlings can be incurable gossips when they want to be.”**

****

**Dar laughed and then stroked under the chin of his own zanling.It cheeped appreciatively.“If we have a boy, he will be named John,” Dar stated.**

**“I’m flattered and honored, Dar.”**

**The rest of the Robinson family emerged from the space ship to say their final farewells.All were in silver flight suits, as was John.As the family re-entered the ship and closed the hatch, several tilons galloped over the hill.Their other Krimlon friends waved as the ship rose gently on its repulsers and then shot toward the upper atmosphere.Pensively, John watched the aqua-colored sky turn dark as Don announced their impending passage through the questing gate.Tensing slightly, the professor waited for the actual transition.When it came, it was an almost imperceptible motion, which along with a shifting of stars, accompanied the change back to their own galaxy.**

**Checking the monitors, John breathed a sigh of relief.“All indications show a successful return to our own galaxy, Don.Good job,” he said.“Robot, do a diagnostic.Make sure there was no hidden damage due to the transition through the gate,” he said over his shoulder to the B9 environmental robot. **

****

**“Affirmative, Professor.” **

**“Well, for once everything went well,” Don said brightly.“Where to now?” **

****

**‘_Yes, where to now?’_ John thought for a few moments.The silence after Don's question was only broken by the whispering of the internal mechanisms of the computers and the Robot along with the rustling of his grandson, Mark, who was crawling around on the floor of the observation deck. “Home,” he finally murmured as he stood watching Karturm swing majestically below them.Remotely, he felt Maureen’s hand on his arm.**

****

**“Do you mean Earth, dear?”she asked. **

****

**“No, I mean Alpha Centauri.Now that we know the way, that’s where we belong,” he clarified. **

****

**Leaning her head against his shoulder, Maureen sighed.“Yes, I agree, John.Our arrival to Alpha Centauri is long overdue.”**

****

**Quickly, John felt tendrils of alarm from Penny, abruptly shut off.**

**“Oh, Daddy, couldn’t we visit Murreena first?We did promise.And we wouldn’t be there long,” Penny pleaded.**

**“But that was before we ended up being chased all over the galaxy,” John replied.He could understand his daughter’s longing, though.Some time basking on a beach, swimming in an ocean did sound inviting.**

**“John, I just looked up the coordinates for ssHreana.There would be very little deviation from our path if we stopped by Murreena’s world,” Don pointed out.**

**“Well, it’s obvious you want to go.What about the rest of you?” John asked.**

**“I would, Daddy,” Judy said, quickly.John saw Maureen nodding her approval.**

**“You are right, Penny, we did promise Murreena that we would visit her world before we went to Alpha Centauri,” he said, looking in her direction and winking.Flushing, his youngest daughter nodded.Her flutter-dragons swirled into the air in a dance of happiness.**

**“All right, Don, go ahead and punch up the coordinates for ssHreana,” he announced.**

**Within hours, the bright streaks and swirls of hyperspace were flowing around the spacecraft.A week later, the Jupiter II shifted back to normal space and approached ssHreana.As they neared the planet, they were welcomed telepathically.‘_We greet you, Jupiter II.’_Looking around, John realized that everyone else on board had ‘heard’ the message as well.The flutter-dragons flitted in the air above their heads.**

**Leaning toward the communicator, John answered, “Thank you.We are here by invitation of Murwon and Murreena, two of your citizens.”**

****

**‘_Yes, we know, and have been awaiting your arrival.However, we must tell you that Murreena was beginning to worry.’ _The telepathic voice was full of bright laughter. **

****

**“We had a slight, unavoidable delay,” John answered with a chuckle, remembering briefly his excursion through questing gates and across space lanes.**

_**‘We are sending the coordinates of a landing place into your ship’s computers,’ **_**the telepathic voice told him.**

****

**“It’s beautiful,” Penny said softly, watching the approaching planet in rapt attention.“I feel the voices of so many.They are so friendly, welcoming us to the planet.”Turning, she looked at her parents with shining eyes.“Ever since I met the ssReelen, the companions, I have dreamed of coming here.”Her mind was filled with the music of the ssHreana oceans and with scenes of wonder beneath ssHreana waves.Closing her eyes, Penny made out details of various creatures sending her their messages.She felt the merging of her thoughts with theirs, and also the presence of her own four flutter-dragons.She longed to be swimming in the Mirin grotto right now, a place she saw as vibrant shades of color- blues, greens, reds and yellow.The fronds of seaweed waved majestically from the sea floor, towering like ocean skyscrapers.Pink and orange corals were anchored on rocks of luminous white.She heard the music of the ssReelen companions and the Shamiril, dolphin like creatures that were dancing in the center of the grotto, their soft skins belied by the acrobatic twists and turns they made in time to the ocean melodies. Penny watched Corellus paint in the sand with the rainbow inks of the Klitees arthropods.Opening her eyes in surprise, she wondered where the names had come from.Then Penny felt the tiny tendrils of bright laughter in her mind.Lucy squeaked pleasantly and led the other lizards in another spiral dance of joy.Turning, she saw the rest of her family watching her in bemusement.They apparently had received at least part of the same messages that she had. **

****

**“I know you have, sweetheart,” Maureen said with a warm smile.Penny’s enthusiasm was contagious. **

****

**“So much water,” John murmured.“It will be a wonder if there is a place big enough to land this thing.”As he was looking out of the observation window, he suddenly realized that every one of the flutter-dragons were perched along the top of the control panel staring out the window, chirping softly.**

**There was a place large enough to accommodate the Jupiter II, but just barely.“What do you use for a spaceport?” Don asked wryly when the ssHreana welcoming committee walked out of the ocean and onto the beach.“And how were you able to communicate with us in orbit?” The Jupiter II loomed barely thirty yards behind them.Light laughter floated in his head as the water people approached.The flutter-dragons flew in dizzying circles in the turquoise sky above, cheeping and squeaking in unbridled happiness.Don felt sensations of freedom and joy floating through his thoughts and he laughed.Their little companions spontaneity was contagious.**

**‘_Most visitors orbit our planet and come down in shuttles.Your craft was small enough to land on this island in the Mirin atoll.We sense that you have a shuttle type vehicle.Perhaps later you can return your ship into an orbit and return in your Space Pod,’ _one of the ssHreana told him.‘_As to your second question, we have enhancement devices that allow us to communicate with orbital craft.’_**

****

**Looking over his shoulder, Don mentally concurred with the ssHreana.There wasn’t much more of the island on the far side of their space vessel.“Is this the biggest island on the planet?” he asked.**

**‘_No, but it is the biggest one near our main Homeplace.The largest island is near the southern pole and not very pleasant for ssHreana habitation, Don West,’_ the foremost ssHreana explained.He appeared to be older than the others. **

****

**“Where is Murreena and Murwon?” John inquired.**

**‘_They are near the Homeplace, awaiting your arrival.The time of pod celebrations is approaching and many are involved in the preparations.We have rebreathing devices for your use, which will let you stay in the upper reaches for long periods of time.Later, you may wish to use the bio-adaptation devices to swim to the home places.By the way, I am called Weros,’ _the more slender ssHreana pointed to himself.**

****

**“Oh, I can’t wait to see the homeplaces.I think I may have seen them as we approached!” Penny exclaimed.Concentrating, she sent the telepathic images she had seen during their approach.**

**‘_Yes, that is the Mirin homeplace.Hopefully you will get to see it during your stay,’ _Weros told her.Looking at the others, he continued.‘_Do you wish to wait for awhile, or would you like to visit the upper reaches now?’_**

****

**“Oh, now!” Penny exclaimed.Then she blushed and turned to her parents.“Please, Dad, Mom.Can we visit now?” she asked plaintively.She noticed that Dad had a slight frown and she wondered if she had overstepped her bounds.**

**John looked at his youngest daughter and felt her intense longing.She had been drawn to the ssReelen companions on Krimlon at the time that the questing gates were being used to draw the telepathically inclined.That time in the not so distant past when those with telepathic abilities were labeled as abominations and were hunted and killed.Murreena and her pod-mate, Murwon had been caught in that ‘witch-hunt,’ and Penny had cared for the ssHreana companions during that time and had become very attached to them.It was only natural that she would want to visit her underwater friends.However there was something that Weros said that disturbed him.**

**“If we can use the rebreathers, I see no problem in a swim,” he finally said.Penny gave him a quick hug and ran back into the Jupiter II to change into her swimming suit.The others did the same and by the time they had returned to the beach, the ssHreana had returned with the swimming devices.**

**‘_These are the rebreathers.They will allow you a great deal of access to the upper reaches.You simply wear them on your back and breathe through the mask,’ _Weros explained, telepathically showing the family how the devices worked.They were similar to the scuba gear in use on Earth, but much more compact and lightweight.‘_And this is the bio-adaptation device, which when attached will allow total freedom underwater.’_**

_**** _

**John looked at the device in horror.It was a circlet that fitted over a person’s head.John saw the inside, with the tendrils that attached to the scalp, making the changes necessary for adaptation.He saw in his mind a similar circlet, one about the same size, even the same color.He saw that the tendrils would work the same as the device with which he had been imprisoned on Krimlon.He felt the constricting, piercing intrusion of the controlling device in his mind and saw that this one worked on much the same principle.It didn’t matter that the inventors were friends and that the device had a useful purpose, John only saw . . . and felt, the horror of his imprisonment and torture, and he mentally recoiled.“No, absolutely not,” he declared vehemently.**  
  
---


	2. Chapter 2

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Two: **

**A Glimpse of Wonder**

**The rebreather felt almost weightless against his shoulders.John pulled the strap of the device to fit snugly and then looked out toward the waves.‘_We will be back soon, Silverado,’_ he told the flutter-dragons.In amusement, he watched his grandson, Mark, try to catch each wave as it flowed across the sand.Being too small for a scuba-like apparatus, the baby was placed into a bubble of sorts that would be tethered to either Don or Judy.**

**‘_We have to stay?’ _came the silver sheened lizard’s plaintive thought. **

**‘_We are going underwater,’ _John pointed out the obvious. **

**‘_We can go underwater,’_ his companion answered, causing John to turn to the zanling in surprise.**

**“You can?” the professor asked, continually amazed at the abilities of their friends.The lizard squeaked an amused confirmation.John heard Maureen’s mental laughter.Apparently Silverado had been sharing his end of the telepathic conversation with the others.‘_By all means, come on, then.’_The flutter-dragons squeaked and flew intricate patterns in the warm air currents above their heads. Then the little creatures dove toward the waves, making tiny splashes as they entered the water. **

**Penny slipped her rebreather on with the ease of one who had gone through the procedure before.Remembering her experience on board the ssHreana ship with the ssReelen, she was eager to experience the ssHreana homeplaces.Holding her fins in her hand, she waited impatiently for the rest of her family to prepare themselves for their excursion underwater. **

**‘_Penny, we greet you,’_ a whispery, flowing voice said in her mind. **

**‘_Wees?’ _Penny asked.‘_Is that you?’_**

_**‘Yes, come and experience the beginnings of our world,’**_** Wees invited her. **

** **

**Laughing, Penny replied.‘_I am waiting for my family.But I wish they would hurry.I cannot wait to see the things you showed me before.’ _Looking over her shoulder, she saw that Will, Judy and Don were almost ready, the latter working to secure the aqua bubble for Mark.The baby just laughed at the shimmering light that refracted through the membranous surface of the bubble.**

**Her parents were still near the Jupiter II working with their underwater equipment or talking, she wasn’t sure which.For some reason, Dad had been somewhat less than enthusiastic since Weros had talked to them about going underwater.She felt absolutely no telepathic clues.‘_Dad,’_ she finally called.‘_Wees is just offshore and wants me to come in and swim with her until the rest of you are ready.May I?’_**

**After a slight hesitation that to her seemed interminable, he answered, ‘_Yes, Penny.Just stay close.’_With a smile of satisfaction, she waded into the water, her fins still in her hand, and then dove into the slightly breaking swells.Although she could still feel the tug of the waves, she was out far enough to be able to slip the fins on.Turning slowly, she saw Wees and several of the ssReelen’s companions nearby, their tube-like bodies floating languidly below the tops of the waves, the current moving the lacy appendages in graceful movements like an underwater ballet.**

**One of the ssReelen approached and then began floating through Penny’s flowing hair, delicately avoiding getting tangled in the strands.She slowly reached her hands up and let the companions drift around them, their beaklike mouths softly nibbling her fingertips.This was the same greeting procedure that she had followed in the ssHreana ship back on Karturm, and she waited patiently for the sea creatures to finish ‘tasting’ her.At the same time, Penny was feeling their thoughts drift like delicate lace throughout her consciousness.Muted colors and delicate sounds floated and swirled in and out of her thoughts.**

**Turning at a leisurely pace, Penny slowly stroked the water with her fins and traveled a few more yards away from the shore.Dolphin-like creatures flowed into her view and she almost gasped in surprise.They were amazingly like the porpoises of Earth, only their skin color was more of an aqua gray than pure gray and they had elongated front flippers, longer by half than the flippers of their Earth cousins.**

_**‘Welcome, Penny,’ **_**a low whispery voice sounded in her mind.It was joined by others; the whole group creating a chorus of clicks and whistles.Penny stopped, entranced.**

** **

**‘_Hello,’_ she answered.Turning to view the entire group, she saw Judy, Don and Mark entering the water.She hadn’t realized that she was that far from the shore.‘_The water’s fine, Judy.Don.’_Judy casually waved at her as they swam away from the shore.The baby bounced and kicked inside his bubble, but the device held steady, bobbing along on its tether.Will followed closely behind.**

**‘_Ah, welcome to our world,’_ a melodic voice said.**

**‘_Murreena!’_ Penny thought joyfully.She heard similar exclamations from other members of her family.**

**‘_We await only the arrival of your parents and then we can swim to the reception center,’ _Murreena told her.**

**‘_We are coming, Murreena.’_Penny heard her father’s mental communication before she saw him enter the water.**

**‘_We worried about you when your arrival was delayed, John,’ _Murreena said.**

**Murreena was looking intently at her dad and she sensed that there was a quick recapping of past events flowing telepathically between the two.The flutter dragons floated along with the ssReelen and the dolphin-like creatures, (which she realized were the Shamiril), forming an underwater kaleidoscope of colors.It amazed Penny how adaptable the little creatures were.**

**‘_Can stay underwater a long time.Then go to the surface to breath,’ _came Lucy’s bright thought.**

**With everyone in the water, the entire group slowly swam toward the Upper Reaches.As they passed the coral habitats, Penny was astonished at the myriad of plant and animal species displayed below her.Lacy, frond-like corals reached up with transparent fingers for their microscopic dinner, with red and yellow fishes floating between them.As they swam deeper she saw some corals with bases as large as tree trunks, and branches that looked like tree limbs.Penny fully expected to see squirrel-like creatures dashing along the underwater limbs and almost laughed out loud when she saw what appeared to be purplish-brown slugs instead.These slugs were not slow, however.They were jetting along, stopping here and there very much like the squirrels on Earth would.At the end of each ‘limb’ leaf-like protrusions completed the illusion of trees.**

**Amused, mirthful laughter floated in her mind.‘_Your Earth trees seem to be a very apt comparison.Please, let us see more comparisons during your visit, Penny Robinson.’_**

**Penny looked toward one of the Shamiril.‘_Was that you?’ _she asked. **

_**‘Yes, I am known as Klik.’**_**More laughter.‘_Actually, I am known as Kliktlikmrenthlendrkril, but visitors prefer the more simplified name.’_**

****

_**‘Mmm.So do I.I don’t think I could remember your whole name, especially if I meet many of your people,’ **_**she admitted, laughing along with the female Shamiril.Suddenly Penny realized she had never learned the name of this planet.The only appellation that her family had given it was ssHreana, but she now understood that the name only referred to Murreena’s people.Homeplace was the only other term she had heard since they landed. **

** **

_**‘Like your Earth, we have used the term Homeplace as the name for our planet.Earth does refer to the land on which you reside on your home planet, does it not?’ **_**Klik asked.**

** **

_**‘Yes, it does.Earth is a sort of generic term, although in fiction, another name that has been used is Terra.But Terra really means the same thing, just in another language,’ **_**Penny explained.**

** **

**‘_ssMrillorrin is the best way to say the name of our planet.That is the term used on most star charts.’_**

_**‘It is a very pretty name,’ **_**Penny commented and continued looking around her in wonder.Penny knew that if they stayed any length of time on this planet she would have to come back and explore this underwater forest at some length.Remotely, she was intrigued with the offer of the devices that would allow them to stay underwater with more freedom.At this point, she felt that she could explore for months and not see everything.**

**‘_Be back,’ _Lucy and the other zanlings chimed.They zipped toward the surface.‘_More air next time.’_**

**The group swam slowly downward, passing tall kelp-like growths of bright greens and yellows.The upper tips tickled her legs and Penny paused to watch the exotic fauna swimming, hunting, hiding amongst the fronds.A creature that looked like feathers pasted on a stick slowly floated beneath her.Several more followed behind.A sudden tickling sensation caused her to jerk her head down where she saw tiny crustaceans nibbling at her legs.**

**‘_Penny, you’re getting left behind,’ _Dad said.**

**‘_I don’t mind, Daddy,’ _Penny said distractedly.She heard a current of amusement float through her mind.**

**‘_I know the feeling, princess, but the others are quite a ways ahead.We will stay long enough for you to explore,’ _he told her.Sighing, she reluctantly followed. **

**The group continued swimming until they reached a dome-like structure, encrusted with corals, crustaceans and waving plant life.Murreena led the way through an airlock and into a habitat the size of a small banquet room.As each member of the family removed their rebreathers, they looked in wonder at the dome above.The flutter-dragons burst through the airlock and shaking themselves, flew in spiral patterns around the ceiling of the structure.The muted sunlight filtered through the spherical dome, blending with the interior lighting, creating a soothing kaleidoscope of color.Murreena pointed to chairs scattered around the room.They appeared to be sponge-like and Penny didn’t doubt that they were facsimiles of real aquatic life. **

**“I assume that we don’t have to worry about getting the furniture wet?” John asked wryly.**

**‘_Of course, not, John,’ _Murreena answered.‘_This is what you would term a welcoming center.The main habitat is reachable with the rebreathers, but is a great deal further along the shelf.This reellim will serve the purpose as a place to rest and a place for you to acclimatize to our environment.’_**

** **

**“What about the Mirin grotto, Murreena?” Penny asked eagerly.**

**‘_That is not accessible by the rebreathers.It has, until recently, only been available to those undersea dweller who are capable of handling the four hundred foot depths,’ _Murreena explained.**

**‘_Until recently?’_ Penny queried.**

_**‘I believe that Weros mentioned a bio-adaptation device that would enable you to fully explore our world.It is a recent development but has been found to be extremely safe, allowing land dwellers to ‘breath’ underwater, gathering oxygen without the need of a rebreather.It also allows for almost instantaneous equalization of pressures from depth to depth.This device will allow you, my friends, to fully enjoy my world,’ **_****Murreena explained.Her joy was palpable and all felt it.  
  
John was shrugging off the rebreather, listening to Murreena, when a vision of sharp pain seemed to explode in his brain. He saw vivid cracklings of lightning, felt electrical energy coursing through his mind and body, and he jerked up in surprise. It quickly passed and he was relieved that no one else had felt it, giving credence to his quick assessment that it must be only in his mind. Confused, John listened once again to Murreena talking about the bio-adaptive device and found that he had no desire to hear it. Pulling the rebreather back across his shoulders, he slipped out the airlock, unseen and unfelt by even the flutter-dragons.  
  
**“You** are sure that this is absolutely safe?” Maureen asked. She had felt the same question in Judy’s mind.   
  
‘_Absolutely. In fact, the baby could be fitted with one of the bio-adapters and you would only need a tether to keep him from wandering. There would be no problem with the bubble dragging or bumping or having to be formed or dismantled each time you went through an air lock. It is also temporary and can be easily removed once you are ready to leave_.’ Murreena proceeded to explain the technology in greater detail. Everyone was listening in rapt attention. _‘The idea for the apparatus actually came from Krimlon and is a peaceful application of the hideous mechanisms that the Krilick peoples had devised against the telepathic peoples. Out of great misery has come a wonderful technological innovation.’ _  
  
Excited about this technology that would open the ocean world to her and the family, Maureen opened her thoughts to her husband and suddenly realized that he was gone. “Where is John?” Then she realized that she had not felt her his thoughts since shortly after they had arrived. Feeling Murreena’s sudden distress, Maureen felt her own quick burst of anxiety. As she quested telepathically for John, she tried to understand what might be going on. When Maureen felt she had, a deep horror settled into her mind.  
  
_‘I believe that we need to talk to your husband as soon as he has had a bit of time to himself_,’ the ssHreana woman said privately.   
  
“Murreena, I think I need to talk to him now,” she said, quickly replacing the rebreather. As the family gazed at her in confusion, Maureen exited the dome.

|   
---  
  
**[Chapter Three](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility3.htm)**  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fiction](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
**[Main Page](http://www.bookscape.net/index.htm)**


	3. New Page 1

New Page 1

**Planet of Tranquility**  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Three:**

**And it All Came Tumbling Down....**

**John slowly swam among fern-like fronds, feeling their feathery tips tickle his arms and legs.Before him was a vast expanse of blue landscape dotted with rainbow colors.The ocean had always had a tranquil effect on him and this one was no exception, although it couldn’t totally shut off the surreal and painful memories that he thought had faded to the back recesses of his memory.John continued swimming, his aimless wandering finally taking him into an almost bowl-like area about forty feet beneath the surface.The white sand lay in ripples with colorful fish-like creatures swimming to and fro above it.The relatively small area was totally surrounded by coral growths of a variety of colors, but mostly blues and greens.It was very peaceful looking and John found himself wanting to stay.**

**The rebreather allowed him the option of ‘hovering’ in place and John chose that setting.This was a peaceful little grotto, and he had a great deal of thinking to do.Then again, thinking was not the correct term.He didn’t want the unbidden thoughts to race around his mind as they had been doing since earlier this afternoon.It was something that had taken him totally by surprise.One minute he was being greeted by Weros and the next minute he was experiencing the same painful moments that he had thought were behind him on Krimlon.The anti-telepathic device, its controller, the pain, the isolation....It was not remembering, it was as though he was experiencing it all over again.Over and over again like a revolving nightmarish merry-go-round.Thankfully, he had been able to shield these nightmares from the others at their outset, but he could not shield them from himself.**

**A yellow, lavender and white striped fish swam up to him, almost nosing his arm in curiosity.John turned his head slowly, so as not to frighten it and watched it check him out.Penny had told him that many of the denizens of this world did that.**

**‘_John, you left the others.Is anything wrong?Or is there something that you need?’ _a voice penetrated his reverie.His whole body jerked in surprise, causing the fish to flee and his heart to race.Looking up, John saw one of the dolphins that had greeted them on their decent.**

**‘_Why did you sneak up on me like that?’ _he demanded, glaring at the creature.His breathing seemed harsh in his own ears_, ‘I just wanted some time alone,’_ he added tersely.**

**‘_I did not think I was sneaking up on you.I contacted you as gently as I could.But I sense that aloneness is not what you really need,’ _the creature said softly in his brain.It almost seemed a caress of caring.‘_Alone is what you had too much of before.’_**

_**** _

_**‘What do you mean?’ **_**His body was calming, but John was still irritated at the intrusion.__**

_**** _

_**‘I sense an isolation that is frightening.An aloneness filled with pain and suffering.It will not leave you if you stay alone.If you do not let others meld and share your isolation,’ **_**the dolphin stated telepathically, his concern evident.**

****

**John shot back, ‘_If others share it is not isolation....’ _Then he stopped.That was the point.But he didn’t want others to feel the despair that he had felt; the gut-wrenching hopelessness of being humiliated, totally secluded, and powerless.Powerless to protect his family; powerless to protect himself; powerless to fight.**

****

_**‘Oh, John, two hearts knit together as one.We share the good and the bad.The pain, the suffering, the anguish along with the joy, love and the ecstasy.’ **_**Maureen’s thoughts flowed lovingly amongst the painful visions.**

****

**Turning, he saw Maureen swimming toward him.‘_He set me up!’_ he stormed.__**

_**** _

_**‘Yes, I’m afraid he did, dear.But I have been blind and could not see what was happening since earlier today.’**_**Her loving, caressing thoughts embraced his and soothed him much more than the ocean around him did.**

****

**‘_What **is** happening, Maureen?It was so sudden, so powerful.I don’t understand it.’_**

_**** _

_**‘I don’t know, John, but you need to tell me about it before I can give you any real thoughts about what is happening to you.Perhaps it would be better if we talked about this on the island.That way we will have privacy and don’t have to worry about the capacity of the rebreathers,’ **_**she explained, lightly caressing his arm.He took her hand and rubbed it against his cheek, and then he nodded.Slowly they swam upward.**

****

**As they surfaced, John pulled off his mask and asked, “What about the children?”**

**“I think Murreena has some inkling of what’s going on and will take the kids on a tour.Don, of course, is totally puzzled as well as being concerned, but will leave us alone.”They left their equipment beyond the high tide line.“Pull up some sand, dear and let’s talk.”**

**Instead, John reached for his wife’s arm and pulled her close to him.She resisted him for only a moment, realizing that talk could come later, that right now he simply needed the assurance of her physical presence.Tenderly, he caressed her neck with his lips, moving upward until he found her mouth.Passionate thoughts entwined and flowed through their minds, forcing all the nightmares of the past into the back recesses of John’s brain.He felt only the proximity of his wife, her loving and caring thoughts, and he let his own love for her guide his actions.**

**Several hours later, Maureen rolled over in the sand and looked at the turquoise sky.Their passionate fun in the sand had apparently relaxed John to the point that he was now sleeping peacefully at her side.She stared at his profile for a moment, and reached over to brush aside a lock of hair.As her fingers touched his forehead his body stiffened, his eyes flew open and he stared upward for a brief moment.Then he jerked upright screaming, was on his feet in an instant, his hands tearing at an imagined object on his head, his eyes seeing something beyond the landscape around him.**

**“No!Get it off!GET IT OFF!!” he cried, staggering and falling to his knees.His hands continued to paw at his head, jerking at something that he imagined there.Maureen stared at him in shock for only a few seconds and then she sent a probing thought into his mind. She almost recoiled at the vivid images she was receiving. It was like being on Krimlon once more, and she felt the constricting pressure of the controlling device at work. Its power horrified her.****  
  
“John. John,” she said softly and then more forcefully. Maureen caressed his arm simultaneously, only glancing up when Silverado popped up from the waves and flew above them squeaking in alarm. Her hand tingled with the realness of the bioelectric shocks. “John! It’s just a memory.” He didn’t seem to hear her. The terrible past kept marching through his mind, with its pain and torture.   
  
Maureen clung to his hand desperately, then she realized that she had to force herself deep into his mind before he built a telepathic block like the one he had unconsciously used before. ‘_John, focus on me! The rest is just memory. It isn’t real. See what I’m showing you. John, it’s just us right now. Just us! Look!’_ Steadily, she fed him pictures of all the peaceful and happy moments they had shared over the years, hoping to break the stranglehold that this vision seemed to have on him.Finally, after what seemed an eternity the horrific memories began to fade.His screams faded, dying into moans of pain and then, even that stopped.John sobbed for breath, shuddering and then turned toward her, his eyes focused on hers once more. He looked down at her hand on his arm and touched it. He was trembling violently, and Maureen threw her arms around him as she had done for the children when they were little and in the throes of an intense nightmare. **

**“Maureen, what is happening to me?What’s wrong?” he whispered.“It was so real.Too real.”**

****

**“I know, John.I felt it, too,” she said.Silverado squeaked softly and hopped onto John’s leg.Maggie and the other lizards popped out of the ocean and flew in tight circles above them, chirping in concern.John’s eyes were begging for an explanation, she could feel the tendrils of panic in his mind, of fear at the unknown, fear that he might be losing his grip on reality. **

****

**“John, I can think of only one thing this could be.” She paused briefly before continuing.“I think you are going through post-traumatic stress disorder.You have been through so much in the last six months.So much with so little respite,” she said.**

**He looked at her for a moment and his eyes took on a harder look, one of self-reproach.“Six months, hell!We’ve all been through ‘so much’ in the past four years.We all should have this disorder,” he said tersely.**

**“But, John, you’re the leader.You, as the commander of this expedition, have been under even more stress then any of the rest of us has._Mon ami_, you have had to be our pillar for so long,” she murmured.Reaching up, she began massaging his shoulders and felt the tension slowly ease its way out of his muscles as well as his mind.**

**“Post-traumatic stress disorder.Isn’t that associated with wars?” he asked.“If so, your diagnosis would make no sense, Dr. Robinson.” **

****

**Hearing the bemusement in his voice, she chuckled slightly.“Dr. Robinson, you have fought off assaults on the family, you waged a war against an invasion force, you were a prisoner of war, so to speak... should I go on?”**

****

**“No!” he said loudly.Then he took a deep breath.“No, but what do I do about these visions?They’re real.It’s like being there and going through all of this over and over again.That scares the hell out of me, Maureen,” he said imploringly.“I don’t think I can deal with that.” **

**“I’ll look in the computer data base, but I think relaxation will help.I believe I’ve read that meditation and breathing exercises will help as well,” she said.“Medication is another therapy, but I’ll have to see if I can synthesize any that is recommended.” **

****

**“Add massage to that list, my dear,” he murmured, beginning to feel lethargic under her ministrations.**

**“I will, but my fingers are growing numb.Do you feel up to going back in?Murreena was worried about you,” she said.**

**“Why don’t I massage your numb fingers and we’ll let them to that job,” John said, pointing to the circling flutter-dragons.Looking up, Maureen laughed heartily, relieved by John’s return to a semblance of normalcy.Silverado looked up at his bondling and chirped.Launching himself into the air, the lizard dove into the waves and disappeared. **

**Three days later, John finally gave permission for Penny to wear one of the devices.She threw her arms around his neck and then danced with delight.Seeing the pensive look on his face, she stopped.“Daddy, it will be all right.Murreena would never let me do anything that would be harmful.”**

****

**Deep inside, he knew that.Logically, he also realized that the bio-adaptation device was a useful, harmless version of the mechanism he had worn.Smiling, he got to his feet and put his arm around her shoulders.It amazed him how quickly this middle child of his was growing.“I know that, sweetheart.I trust Murreena.That’s the only reason I said you could use one of the adaptation units.I want you to enjoy your time in the Mirin grotto.”Leaning over, he lightly kissed her on the forehead, noticing how little he had to bend to do so now.**

**She hugged him again.“Thank you, Daddy.I wish you could come, too.”**

**Watching her slip on her rebreather, he wished the same thing.Within the next two days, the rest of the family had followed Penny’s example.**  
  
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**[Chapter Four](http://www.bookscape.net/tranquility4.htm)**  
---  
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	4. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
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****

**Chapter Four:**

****

**Solace from Below**

**“Professor Robinson.Professor Robinson!” Max’s voice impinged upon John’s nightmare laden sleep.Jerking up, the professor looked into two sets of golden eyes, a robot’s and a flutter-dragon’s.He felt next to him and knew that Maureen had gone back to the Homeplace.Even though she had been gone only a few hours, he still felt the emptiness of her absence. **

**‘_John, you remembered again_,’ Silverado commented.**

**Wiping the sweat from his forehead, John just nodded.This personal hell that had begun three weeks before had finally begun lessening, but there were still enough reminders such as this to remind him that he was not well yet.If they had only been regular nightmares, he might have felt more able to cope with them, but these ‘flashbacks’ were like being there once again, as though he was back in the cell on Krimlon, or on Creon freezing to death.The bio-electric shocks were real, his fingers still cold and numb.**

**‘_John…’ _a soft voice whispered in his mind.**

**‘_Klik?’_**

**_‘Yes, come and swim with me_.’In his loneliness, the invitation became so enticing that he couldn’t resist, which surprised him.In the first two weeks after the flashbacks began, the only person he could tolerate was Maureen, and sometimes he didn’t even want her around.His feelings confused him almost as much as his visions of the past did.**

**Maureen had not left his side during those first days, staying with him even when he preferred solitude, consoling him during his worst moments.In the past week, though, as he began to feel a slight respite from these images of horror, he had felt her restlessness.John knew that she missed the children, missed having them all together.Knowing that he could not, at this time, wear one of the bio-adaptation devices, he finally coaxed Maureen into having one implanted.**

**“But John, you’ll be alone,” she had protested.**

**“I’m getting better,” he told her, knowing it to be only a partial truth.Getting well seemed so distant to him at this time.“And you’ll be able to come up and see me whenever you want.Just as Murreena can stay out of the water for short periods of time, so will you.Don and the children have visited.You can, too.” **

**She remained unconvinced for another two days.Only by blocking out his residual fears did he manage to persuade her that he would be fine for extended periods of time without her.It helped that the ‘flashbacks’ did seem to be coming less frequently.Maureen’s joy in her reunion with the rest of the family gave him a great measure of happiness.**

**Now he welcomed this time in the ocean.Sliding on the rebreather, he walked down the Jupiter’s ramp and into the soft velvet darkness of the ssMrillorrin night.The moon had already set and he could clearly see the gaseous nebulae shining above him, a centerpiece for the bright field of stars slowly wheeling across the sky.Taking a deep breath, John walked into the ocean, pausing only long enough to adjust the mask and put on the fins. **

**Underwater, the darkness was lit up by the myriad inhabitants of this ocean world.A school of long undulating fish, glowing spots all along their bodies, slowly swam across his field of vision.Silverado's golden eyes suddenly shone in front of his face, and the zanling’s thoughts danced merrily in his mind. **

**‘_John,’ _Klik said soothingly, rubbing up alongside him.‘_There is one who can help you deal with your problem.’_**

**A long manta-like creature, with orange phosphorescent patches located on the tips of its ‘wings,’ glided slowly beneath his feet.‘_I thought **you** were assigned to be my nurse-maid, Klik,’ _John commented wryly to the cetacean-like creature that swam alongside him.**

**‘_Nurse-maid?’ _the cetacean asked, confused.“_Is that like the aunt of a newborn pod member_?’**

**‘_No, Klik,_’ John answered, trying to explain what he meant in pictures.**

**Then, ‘_Oh, I understand.No, I am not a nurse-maid to you.’_**

**_‘Klik, I was more or less teasing,’ _John added quickly, not wishing to insult the sea creature’s feelings.**

**Bright laughter whispered through his mind.‘_John, if I was that easily insulted, I would have given up on you three weeks ago,’ _Klik said brightly. **

**John felt his face grow hot with embarrassment, but knew that the sensation was all in his mind, since he was submerged in fifty feet of dark water.**

**‘My friend, you have not been very pleasant these past twenty-one day-cycles.But you are improving, and you are at a point where I think Grilong can help you.’**

_**‘Grilong?’**_

**_‘Yes, John, Grilong is a ssReesa, and as such, a healer,’ _Klik explained.**

**‘_A healer?’_John pondered._‘Yes, I believe I would like to meet this healer.These flashbacks haven’t come quite as often lately, but they are still very intense.If Grilong has something to offer, I’m willing to listen.’_**

**_‘Come then,’ _Klik said.John felt his friend’s dorsal fin under his hand and he grabbed on to it.**

**_‘Going above, John,’ _Silverado said and quickly disappeared into the opacity of the nighttime ocean. **

**Klik swam deeper, coming close to the limit of the rebreather’s capacity.Even with the bioluminescent life around him, the darkness increased and thickened, but John didn’t feel any fear at what might be out there.Under his hand, John felt the sure presence of his cetacean friend, felt Klik’s heartbeat, even the slight movement of the muscles propelling them steadily into the depths.Even this far from the surface, the water still possessed a warmth that relaxed him, and as Klik’s tail steadily beat its rhythm, the currents caressed and soothed him.**

**‘_Welcome, John Robinson.Come into my home,’ _a comforting voice drifted through his mind, accompanied by soft whistles and clicks.The whole effect was relaxing, and John felt his muscles loosening, which surprised him, considering that he thought he was already relaxed.**

**‘_You are anything but relaxed, John.’ _Laughter echoed in his mind._‘I am Grilong.’_**

**As Klik pulled him into a cave-like grotto, John blinked, his eyes having to adjust to sudden bright light.There were bioluminescent growths everywhere in various shades of yellow, orange, blue and green.The variety of undersea flora was incredible and John floated motionless in the middle of the large room, entranced.**

_**‘I like brightness and light,’ **_**Grilong explained, anticipating John’s question.**

**‘_It’s beautiful, Grilong.Thank you for inviting me.’_Grilong was huge, probably as large as a sperm whale on earth, but this creature was more amorphous in shape.He was grayish black in color, with a small line of phosphorescent dots all along the top of his body, which was slightly slug-like in shape.Appendages, somewhat like lace, fringed the bottom of his body, waving with the currents and keeping him motionless in the water. **

**_‘I am glad you could come, John.’ _There was a short pause. _‘You are having visions of past events….’_**

**_‘I am reliving them, Grilong,’ _John corrected the large creature, frustration evident in his thoughts.He wanted to tell Grilong how very tired he was, how these visions from his past kept him from a full night’s sleep, how mentally exhausted he was trying to excise them from his consciousness, but he hesitated.**

**‘_Yes, I know you are.This problem needs to be resolved.’_**

_**‘No argument from me.’ **_

**_‘I sense something…’ _Grilong began and then paused, as though not wanting to divulge too much. **

**‘_What?’ _John asked, curious, despite his reticence.**

**‘_I cannot tell.It is not clear.But you must be prepared.You are going to a planet to live.You will need your mind clear, free.You have led your group for over four years.You have done well.’_**

**John remembered briefly some of their close calls of the past four plus years._‘That’s subject to debate, Grilong, but thank you.’_**

**Grilong chose to ignore John’s statement._‘John, let us begin.Are you willing to open your mind to me?’ _**

**‘Uh, what do you plan on doing?’Open the inmost corners of his mind to an alien he had only met?**

****

**‘John, I will not hurt you.First I want to see the total nature of these visions, then I want to help you learn to control them, excise them.We can go as slowly or as quickly as you wish to go in your journey toward wellness.’**

****

**Wellness….John let the slight, soothing currents carry him closer to Grilong as he pondered.To be free, to be able to think his own thoughts and not be subject to that which was unbidden and unwelcome.‘****I want to be free of this, but…’He was unable to finish, not wishing to cause insult over his reluctance.**

****

**‘John, if I sense that you are uncomfortable with my presence, I will pull away and we will discontinue.You will eventually overcome this on your own, but it will take a long time,’ Grilong explained gently, understanding John’s anxiety.**

****

**‘****How long?’ John asked, afraid of the answer he was sure he would hear.**

****

**‘****On your planet, those who are suffering as you are sometimes take years to get over this disorder.’**

****

**‘Oh, Lord,’ ****John thought in anguish, knowing deep down inside that what Grilong said was true.He had checked the computer medical database.To have to deal with this for years?No!How could he lead his family with this albatross around his neck?‘No, I don’t think I can….Do you think you can help me, Grilong?’**

****

_**‘I believe I can, John.Open your mind to me with the willingness that you open your mind to Maureen,’ **_**Grilong instructed.**

**Startled at Grilong’s reference to his wife, John nevertheless did as he was told, or at least tried to.It was hard.Maureen was the only individual that he comfortably shared intimate thoughts with.Not even with Silverado did he open up fully.**

**‘_Relax…relax,’ _Grilong soothed.**

**John began feeling lethargic, and visions of the ocean began flowing through his mind, further relaxing him.Then the nightmare came and he cringed, writhing with the torment that it caused him.He cried out, almost losing his mouthpiece.Remotely, John felt Klik rubbing against him, holding him up, comforting him.He felt the touch of another sea creature.Grilong?The presence of the aliens soothed him, helped him gain some measure of control.**

**As the vision progressed, John felt a difference from previous occurrences.He noticed himself becoming a spectator rather than a participant, and he watched the events in his mind’s eye uncomfortably, but with a certain amount of detachment.It became more like the dreams and nightmares with which he was familiar.He felt intimately involved, but at the same time understood that it was just a remembrance of a past event.He didn’t physically feel the bio-electric shocks of the Krimlon device, the freezing cold of Creon, or the blinding pain of the Graxod disruptor.**

**‘_I’d really rather not see this again,’ _John finally said as he viewed the details of his physical and telepathic imprisonment. **

**‘_Then stop it,’ _Grilong told him simply. **

**‘_I can do that?’_**

**_‘Yes, you certainly can.You can learn to control these ‘visions,’ John.With time they will only be memories.Unpleasant memories, but memories of something else you overcame with success.And, might I also add, with great courage,’ _Grilong explained. **

**‘_I have had a great deal of help in my successes,’ _John said, as the nightmare faded and finally disappeared from the view of his mind.Relief washed over him, making him feel almost limp.**

_**‘Of course you did.Most of what we accomplish in life is only achieved with the help of others,’ **_**Grilong said.Pondering briefly, John had to agree.**

**‘_Why was I only remembering and not **in** that last vision/dream?’ _he asked.**

**‘_I helped to focus it,’_ Grilong said._‘John, your recently acquired telepathic skills allow you to be a more vivid part of these flashbacks.It has allowed you to feel the physical stimuli even more intensely than if you had not been telepathic.But it is that very talent which will permit you to recover more quickly.It will allow you to exercise more control._**

**‘_Thank you,’ _John said fervently, grateful for the ssReesa’s help.‘_How do I learn to do this?’_**

_**‘Listen.... Feel.’**_

**John listened.He listened to the soothing sounds of the ocean; he listened to Grilong’s mental voice, an ancient voice of song, a voice of incredible telepathic power, permeating his consciousness, giving him what he needed to shut off the hell-spawned flashbacks.He listened to the voice of the inhabitants of ssMrillorrin, all singing joyful symphonies of peace.He listened to the voice of Maureen’s love, even though she wasn’t physically present, a voice of over twenty years of togetherness.**

**John felt.He felt renewed peace, he felt encouragement, he felt hope.He felt the embrace of thousands of life forms, all singing their own songs of life. Wryly, John thought this must be the galaxy’s largest group hug.Then he heard and felt his own song of life, a song of joy tinged with sadness, a song of triumph despite adversity, a song of hope, and he understood and was satisfied. **

**Grilong’s voice was reassuring and John continued listening and feeling….**

** ==============================================**

****

**The sun woke him with its bright fingers of light and he opened his eyes to see Maureen’s face looking into his.“How?” John mumbled, sleep still firmly entrenched in his consciousness. **

**“Klik brought you as far as he could, and I pulled you on shore.That must have been some session down below,” she told him.Her wet hair was still dripping, telling him that he had finished his session with Grilong only a short time before.He was surprised to see that the sun was nearing the far horizon.**

**“It was very peaceful, and yet very powerful,” John said, sitting up and watching the waves lapping at his feet.He realized, with satisfaction, that he had not awakened in the cold sweat to which he had become accustomed.“Grilong, the healer, is teaching me how to control the flashbacks.It seems to be helping already.I feel more rested than I have in several weeks.”******

**Leaning over, Maureen kissed him tenderly, overjoyed at his progress.“Oh, John, that’s wonderful.”They sat side by side on the sand, watching the bird-fish leaping from the waves, catching tiny water insects and diving back into the ocean, their squeaks not too unlike those of their own flutter-dragons.Above their heads, Maggie and Silverado performed their own aerial ballet.The other zanlings zipped out of the ship after their afternoon repast in the arboretum and joined in the joyful dance.The two humans watched silently, reveling in the happiness of their friends as well as their own happiness.Without looking, John reached over and took her hand in his, pulling her closer to him.**

**His thoughts returned to a time when he was a young, awkward college student.He had been quickly smitten by the lovely California girl in his physics class, but had waited until almost halfway into the semester before he had dared to say more than hello to her.******

**Maureen, slightly worried about her husband’s sudden quiet, turned and gazed at him.His eyes were elsewhere, but, to her relief, his face reflected a happiness that she had not seen for several weeks.“Dear, what are you thinking about?”******

**“I was remembering the first time I saw you.It was the first day of physics class at CIT.”John had received full academic scholarships to California Institute of Technology, but even though it covered the necessities, he was still broke most of the time.“I had just arrived the day before, hitchhiking after my dad’s old Dodge died in Arizona.I was lucky to finish registration before classes started.”**

**“Yes, I remember.And you didn’t make a very good impression either.Your clothes were wrinkled and your Reeboks were falling apart.”******

**John laughed.He had to use the last of his money to ship most of his belongings to his dorm.All he had to wear that first day was what he had stuffed in his backpack.“I saw you sitting there with all your friends.You were one among many, but I couldn’t see them.I only saw you.I remember you had on that yellow sweater and the designer jeans.”**

**“Yes, dear, you were kind of obvious.”She, too, let her mind wander to the past, visualizing the tall, almost too-slender young man who had caught her eye the first day he walked into class.To her exasperation, he never seemed quite able to gather up the courage to talk to her.Her disapproving friends didn’t help either.They all thought he had more altruistic thoughts on his mind.In her heart, Maureen knew they were wrong, but she chose not to make the first move.“I still can’t believe that it took you most of the semester before you asked me out.”**

**“Mo, you cannot imagine how much I wanted to talk to you those first weeks.”******

**“I remember, John.And I remember how thrilled I was when you finally asked me out a few weeks before Thanksgiving.” **

**“Some date that was!Pizza on the beach at sunset.”He knew that Maureen Tomlinson was from a rich family and he had never really expected her to demonstrate any interest in him, but to his surprise, when he had finally found the courage to ask her for a date, she readily accepted.He was still struggling monetarily, but extra income was earned by a part-time job at a fast food restaurant and a little tutoring on the side.So the only thing he could afford was a pizza, which was eaten on the beach at sunset.The warm sand, the hot sun, the breaking waves; it felt the same as it did now, the only difference being that his love had grown so much deeper since then.**

**Maureen felt the tendrils of his love and saw glimpses of his memories. “John, it was the most wonderful date I had ever been on.”Her attraction to him was totally different than that of any other man she had dated.She had not regretted a moment of the almost twenty-five years of their union.******

**She sat there, remembering, watching the sun continue its journey toward the far horizon.As her head lay gently on his shoulder, she began feeling a soft murmuring of laughter.Suddenly, he jumped up, and reaching down, pulled Maureen to her feet.His eyes had a mischievous glint in them. ******

**“Our latest hydroponics crop is ready to harvest,” he announced.“And what we can’t get from the garden we can make in the replicator.”**

**Confused at his outburst, Maureen quested for telepathic clues, but was unable to pick up anything.“What are you talking about?”**

**He bent over, kissed her soundly and said, “I feel like having pizza.”They both laughed as they ran up the ramp into the Jupiter II.**

** **  
  
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**[Chapter Five](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility5.htm)**  
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	5. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
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****

**Chapter Five**

**Omens from the North**

**Penny walked up the ramp of the Jupiter II, her wet feet making only the slightest noise on the floor of the observation deck.She hesitated when saw her father’s legs sticking out from under the main computer console.This was the first time she had ventured onto the Jupiter alone since the onset of Dad’s disorder.It had frightened her seeing her father so helpless to stop something.Even on Anoxis, when they had all been so sick, he had still carried her to safety.When she had been kidnapped, he had come after her.It had also upset her to see his moods change so rapidly.Dad became angry at times, but this was different.Penny felt a twinge of guilt for her insistence on having one of the devices installed, the very device that had started Dad’s problem.All of these thoughts she kept to herself, letting nothing get past the telepathic shield she had erected.**

**Penny tried to pick up anything telepathic that might give her a clue to Dad’s disposition this morning, but could feel nothing.Mom kept telling her that she would have to be patient, that Dad was getting better, but she missed him so much.When she had been swimming near the island, she had felt the uncontrollable urge to go on board the Jupiter and see him.Klik had also encouraged her.**

**“Welcome aboard, Princess.Long time, no see,” came the muffled voice from under the console.“Let me make one more adjustment here….”There were slight noises of tools against metal. **

**Astonished, Penny gaped for a moment before recovering her composure.“How did you know it was me, Daddy?Did Lucy sneak on board and tell you?”**

**“No, it was elementary, my dear,” he replied.There was a pause while some other adjustment was made. “Don and Will don’t make it a habit of being stealthy.Your mother doesn’t either.Judy is very easy to figure out, telepathically speaking, and if she weren’t, she would most likely have Mark.He and that flutter-dragon of his are like telepathic beacons.That made you the most likely puddle candidate,” he added, his voice sounding like laughter and fun. **

**Penny looked down and saw the widening pool of seawater, looked up and saw her father pulling himself up from under the console, a great smile on his face. **

**“I missed you, Daddy,” she said softly, her feelings suddenly making it hard for her to speak.“I was worried about you.”**

**“I missed you, too, princess,” he answered, motioning slightly with his hand.Penny was in his arms in an instant.**

**“You’re well, now?” **

**“It will still take a bit of time, but I’m so much better than I was, dear heart.So much better,” he said, pulling back and holding her at arm’s length.His eyes seemed to be like those of a thirsty man, drinking in all he could of her, as though the separation had been months instead of just a few weeks.When his gaze reached the slender band around her head his eyes stopped and Penny held her breath, wondering if the sight of it would give him another nightmarish flashback. **

**To her surprise, he reached up with one finger, and, after a slight hesitation, touched the device lightly and briefly.When he pulled his hand away, he looked at his fingers, almost in disbelief.Still Penny held her breath, gazing at him, hoping, and praying.When he looked back into her face, she saw a touch of fear, but more than that she saw determination and triumph.**

**“Dad?”**

**“Yes, I’m fine, Penny.I’m fine,” he murmured.**

**Unable to speak, she grabbed him in another hug and held on tight.Dad wrapped his arms around her again.“Daddy, will you be with us at the Homeplace celebrations in the Mirin Grotto?” she blurted out, and then wished she could bite her tongue off.That celebration was in four days.What was she thinking of, she berated herself, but his answer surprised her.**

**“I will consider it, Penny.If I can, I will,” he answered after a moment’s pause.“But I cannot promise anything.”**

**“I understand, but it would be so nice if you could.”**

**“Yes, I know.” **

**“Do you think we could go for a swim, Dad?” Penny asked, her chest hurting more from emotion than from lack of oxygen. **

**“Yes, I would like that.”**

** =========================================**

**After Penny left, John lay on the warm sand, pondering.The time with his daughter had been invigoratingly pleasurable.She had taken him to a remote section of the reef where pipe-stem creatures played hide and seek among waving sea plants.The adult creatures gathered together to form ‘corrals’ to keep the young safe from predators.Tiny animals that resembled squid, with numerous tentacles and small horn-like projections protruding from their bodies formed schools so large that when they passed them by, it was like being in a fog.**

**He had watched Penny joyfully frolic with Klik and some of her pod mates.His daughter’s eagerness to learn as much as she could about this world was evident in the way she studied each coral formation, each creature and every plant.He pondered Penny’s question, reflecting on how easy it would be to end even these tiny separations.His musings didn’t automatically send currents of revulsion through his mind, and John deliberated further.When he touched his daughter’s bio-adaptive device, he felt the fear trying to flow into his mind, but he controlled it, pushed it aside and finally vanquished it.It was a pleasant feeling, this conquest, and John wondered if it might extend to attempting to use one of the mechanisms himself.As he had watched Penny, he realized how much he had missed his family and how much he missed exploring this new environment with them.Standing and stretching, John brushed the sand off his torso, and then leaned over and picked up the sleeveless swimming vest and the rebreather that lay nearby.**

**‘_Murreena,’ _he called.‘_Do you hear me?’_**

**There was a pause of several moments._‘Yes, I hear you, John.What can I do for you?’_**

_**‘Would it be possible to talk to you about the bio-adaptation devices?’**_

**_‘Yes, John, any time,’ _she said brightly.‘_Do you wish to participate in the celebrations for the renewal that will be taking place in the Mirin Grotto?’ _**

**_‘Yes, I believe I do,’ _he said._‘It would be nice to be with my family and with all of you.’_ **

**Suddenly there was a brief silence. For some reason, it seemed very ominous, although he couldn’t put his finger on just why it felt that way.As John was about to inquire about it, Murreena’s thoughts came into his mind.He felt uncharacteristic tendrils of fear from her, almost bordering on panic.‘_John, tidal wave!It is on a southwesterly course and will engulf your island in a matter of minutes.You must swim to the reception center as fast as you can.I will send Klik to help you.’_**

**Tidal wave?Her telepathic images suggested more.A tsunami!John glanced at the rebreather in his hand and then dropped it. ‘_Engulf the island?’_**

_**‘We do not understand what has happened to cause this.But you must come quickly.Now!’**_

**_‘Like hell!I’m not letting my ship become so much flotsam,’ _he retorted as he sprinted toward the Jupiter II.“Robot, Max, prepare for emergency take-off.NOW!”As he rushed up the ramp, John slapped the airlock button, but didn’t wait to see the results.“There is a massive tidal wave bearing down on us.One big enough to do major damage to this ship!I want it off the ground immediately.”**

**“Preparing for immediate launch,” the Robot intoned.**

**John worked feverishly, setting the navigational controls.As the Robot engaged the engines, he saw something filling the far horizon that indicated the approaching wave.It was horrifyingly fast and monstrously huge.**

**‘_John, no!You can’t get the Jupiter II out quickly enough!’ _Don shouted in his mind.He felt the clamoring emotions of the rest of his family. **

**‘_Watch me.Now leave me alone, I have to make this happen, Don!’_ he snapped.“NOW, Robot.Engage the engine, maximum ignition, simultaneous thrusters and repulsors!!Max, watch the settings in the engine room!” he cried into the intercom.As the engine roared into life, it protested with a loud screeching.**

**“Professor, the gravitational forces will be detrimental to your health.You must strap yourself into the launch chair before I continue the launch sequence,” the Robot protested.**

**In answer, John reached around the Robot’s barrel-shaped torso and pushed the launch button.As the towering wall of water approached the island in horrible deliberation, the little ship threw itself into the lower atmosphere with a wail.The g-forces climbed rapidly, and John, realizing there was no time for the shock chair, allowed his body to collapse to the deck.“Robot, report,” he forced out, feeling the shuddering of the ship as it climbed. **

**He seemed to feel the slapping of water on the outside of the Jupiter, but the blackness of unconsciousness overtook him before the Robot could answer. **

=============================================

** Biting her knuckles didn’t help.Maureen closed her eyes and concentrated on keeping the telepathic link open.Gratefully, she felt the efforts of the rest of the flutter-dragons.The intensity of John’s attempts to save the Jupiter II were like shouts in her mind, and glancing at the rest of the family, she could tell they were also feeling her husband’s emotional outpouring.Suddenly, the telepathic connection was broken and she turned to Don, who was at a console following the progress of the spaceship by a type of electronic sonar surveillance system.**

**Looking above her at the ceiling of the reception center, Maureen saw that even this deep the tsunami was having an effect.The water was darker and more turgid, although nowhere near enough to be as dangerous as it was on the surface.“Don, did he make it?” she whispered.**

**Shaking his head, Don replied, “I don’t know, Maureen.”His eyes remained glued on the monitor.“I think the Jupiter cleared, but I can’t be one hundred percent sure until I can get a clear signal.Any luck with telepathic contact?” **

**“No.” **

**“That was a stupid question anyway.The amount of g-force in that take-off would render anyone unconscious,” Don commented.“The gravitational stabilizers can only handle so much.”**

**“Wouldn’t that also be high enough to injure Dad?” Will asked suddenly, his voice tight with fear.**

**Don quickly turned around and put his hand on the boy’s arm.“No, Will.The human body can take an incredible amount of G-force.You know that.Your dad’s going to be fine, Will.He’s resourceful and the Robot is there to ensure his safety.Max is, too.” **

**Her youngest child’s words caused Maureen’s breath to catch in her throat.John had superceded the Robot’s actions, thus making any safety measures ineffectual.Watching the monitor intently, she noticed a new reading.“Don, is that the Jupiter?See, those new figures,” she said, pointing.**

**Returning his gaze back to the screen, Don made a few adjustments.“Yes,” he hissed.The monitor changed and the new screen showed a small dot above the exosphere of the planet.“Yes, he made it!All right!” **

**Maureen grabbed the communicator.“Jupiter II.Come in Jupiter II.John can you hear me?Please answer,” she implored. The silence mocked her.The continued silence was a conduit to her fears.Every few minutes she called.A half an hour passed, then almost an hour.**

**‘_Maureen, the ship went through great stress to achieve orbit.It is only natural for a disruption of non-essential services.John will contact you as soon as possible,’ _Murreena told her.**

**“I understand that Murreena.But understanding doesn’t make the waiting any easier.Let me try one more time and then I’ll have to go out,” Maureen said softly.She was starting to feel the effects of oxygen deprivation, a slight dizziness that wouldn’t go away until she went outside.“Jupiter II.Come in Jupiter.John?Robot?Max? Can anyone answer me?” She waited a few minutes feeling her device-adapted lungs beginning to heave with the effort of getting oxygen to her system.Sighing, she turned the communicator over to Judy, who had just returned from a short excursion outside the reception center with Mark.**

**Suddenly the communication console came to life with a non-descript series of crackling beeps.A Morse code type of message began flashing across their computer screen.Maureen read hungrily.She felt Don’s presence behind her, but ignored him for the moment.She continued to read until the symbols stopped flashing.Then she sat down and commenced typing.Behind her, Don was translating the code for those who had been unable to see the screen or who were unfamiliar with the meaning of the symbols.**

**“Max is sending the message.He says there has been minor damage to most of the systems, but the ship is in good shape overall. The gravitational unit is damaged.They are operating under zero gravity, but the life support systems are within human tolerances.There was some stress damage to the engines, but the Robot is working on that. The communications system is down.This message is being sent through an emergency backup system, but the power supply being used to send it is limited.Max assures us that he and the Robot will effect repairs on that as soon as possible,” Don explained.He turned to Maureen.“What does he say about John?”**

**“I haven’t received any answer yet,” she said tersely. **

**More symbols marched across the screen.“John is unconscious, but otherwise he is in good health....” Don translated. **

**The connection was suddenly broken and Maureen’s breath whooshed out of her lungs in relief.She heard similar sounds from the rest of the family gathered closely behind her.At least she knew that John was alive.Silverado squeaked loudly and flew around the reception area in grand loop-de-loops.The other flutter-dragons joined him, while the humans and ssHreana watched.Finally, she exited, not only needing to replenish her body’s oxygen supply, but also feeling curious about the condition of the island.Don followed as she swam steadily toward the little spit of land. **

**When she walked out of the ocean and through the rough swells, Maureen was horrified.The tranquil place of the past five weeks had been transformed.The little island was even smaller now, having been scoured of half of its land surface.At the water line, there were huge deposits of flotsam and debris.John’s instincts were right, the Jupiter II would have been swept out into the ocean.They would have been stranded on this idyllic paradise forever, and as much as she loved Murreena’s world, Maureen shuddered to think of being forever locked away from the land. **

**Feeling Don’s hand on her shoulder and hearing the reassuring cheeping of their zanling companions flying overhead, Maureen turned back to the ocean.**

**“I can’t believe the force of that wave,” he murmured.Both were silent as they continued to gaze around them.“John will get hold of us soon, Maureen.”Nodding, she waded back out into the ocean and dived into the waves.Don looked around one more time and followed her.**

**Murreena met them about twenty feet down, Murwon, her mate, at her side.‘_This wave had a great deal of destructive power, Maureen.We are still astonished that there was no advance warning of the earthquake, no change in fault line stress factors, or temperature variations.We have only just now pinpointed its origin.It is not an area with any known fault line.It is definitely something that will have to be investigated.It is too close to the Homeplace to ignore.’_**

**_‘John is the expert in geophysics.That was what his first degree was in.Maybe he will have an explanation when he calls us.It’s too bad that he can’t try one of the devices, he might be able to check it out underwater,’ _she said.**

**‘_But, Maureen, that was what he was contacting me about when all of this happened.He was letting me know that he wanted to try,’ _Murreena told her.Maureen just stared at the ssHreana, the astonishment in her eyes evident even behind the protective lenses.**

**‘_I thought he might be close to that point.Thank you, Murreena.That makes me happier than you can imagine_,’ Maureen said in relief.‘_When he returns, maybe we can all investigate together_.’**

_**‘If he is able to return quickly, he will be.The pod leaders have already determined to send an expedition to the site of the earthquake.’**_  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Six](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility6.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fiction](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
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	6. New Page 1

New Page 1

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
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**  
**   
Chapter Six:  
Revelations  
  
  
  
Max took a break from working with the Robot and went into the living quarters to check on Professor Robinson. His breathing and heart rate were strong, and the professor seemed to be resting comfortably. That reassured him, as the martial arts robot did not doubt that there was muscular and joint discomfort as a consequence of the torturous amount of g-forces present in the take-off. He checked the zero gravity straps again, wishing there was more he could do for his human friend.   
  
He turned to leave. “Max?” Turning back, he saw the professor’s eyes come to rest on him in a befuddled gaze.   
  
“How do you feel?” Max asked.  
  
“I feel like I’ve been run through a gauntlet. How long have I been out?”  
  
“Eight hours. The G-force was in excess of eleven. You are very fortunate to have escaped with only a nose bleed, sore muscles and aching joints,” Max stated.  
  
“I am presuming that the gravitational stabilizers are damaged,” John said, glancing down at the webbing.   
  
“You are correct. The Robot and I felt that establishing the artificial gravity was not as important as correcting any damage to the engines and life support systems.”   
  
“Of course.” John extricated himself from under the webbing and slowly floated across the room. He tried a telepathic communication to Maureen, but was unsuccessful. Puzzled, he pondered the situation. Despite the fact that he was, for the most part, only minimally telepathic, there had been no problem communicating with the ssHreana when the Jupiter II had been approaching the planet. Then John remembered Murreena mentioning something about a device that focused and projected telepathic communications to ships within a certain distance of their planet. He could only surmise that the tidal wave had knocked it out. “How’s the communications system?”  
  
“Presently it is not working, but we did have a brief moment in which we were able to contact your wife, using an emergency power system and a computer code,” Max told him.   
  
“Thanks for letting her know, Max,” John said, gratefully, his anxiety eased. He floated toward the small closet to get his gravity boots, but decided against it, feeling he would move faster through the ship without them. He pulled himself along the corridor and into the area containing the power core, grabbing a handle near the doorway to slow his momentum. “How is it going, Robot?” he asked.  
  
“It will be several days before I can complete repairs on the engines, but the damage was much less severe than I had previously estimated. Would you hand me the ionization indicator, Professor Robinson?”   
  
John pulled the indicated item from its magnetized toolbox and put it into the Robot’s pincer hand, peering into the work area. The Robot was right; the damage was much lighter than he had seen in the past. “Good. By the way, before the wave hit I was running a geological scan of the area around the island. By any chance, did you happen to get readings on that tsunami and the earthquake that caused it?” John asked, his curiosity piqued.   
  
“I have not tried to deal with the non-essential functions until the engines and life support systems are fully operational,” Robot replied.  
  
“Since the rest of the family is down there, I want to find out all I can. The ssHreana didn’t seem to have any warning,” he clarified. But he realized the wisdom of the Robot’s logic. “First, though, I’ll help you two work on the life support systems. It seems a bit chilly in the ship,” added.  
  
“That is a matter of adjustment. In order to avoid expending needless resources, I kept the temperature low. You were unconscious and under an insulating blanket,” came the explanation.  
  
Again, John saw the flawless logic of the Robot’s statement. Nodding, he said, “Let’s just keep it at that temperature for awhile. I’ll clean up and put on my flight suit, then give you a hand. You’ve done a great job, Robot,” he said, as he pushed himself toward the Jupiter’s living quarters.  
  
A short while later found him in the zero-g shower, alternately singing arias and muttering about runaway soap and water. As soon as the system had gathered all the water for recycling, he stepped out, grabbed a towel to rid himself of the last of the droplets clinging to his body, and floated toward the bed, where his clothing lay. John gaped in astonishment. Curled up inside the blanket, with only his head protruding, was Silverado, fast asleep. Even as he struggled into his insulated flight suit, John wondered how the zanling had managed to get on board the ship. Did Maureen come in a shuttle? If so, where would she get one? He sent another telepathic message to Maureen, hoping she was on board, but like before, received no answer. He tried next to ‘talk’ to the lizard, but Silverado was too deeply asleep to be aware of his telepathic queries. He placed a finger under the blankets and against his friend’s silvery hide. Everything felt normal. Why was Silverado so soundly asleep that he couldn’t communicate with him at all? There were more mysteries popping up here than an Agatha Christie novel. Shaking his head, John propelled himself back to the cargo bay.  
  
“Robot, any contact from ssMrillorrin? I just found Silverado in my bedroom and I can’t figure out how he got there.”  
  
“Negative, Professor,” the Robot said, and then pondered the problem, the whirring of his internal processing units the only sound for the next few minutes. “I am unable to ascertain how your zanling made it to the Jupiter II unless he found a way to teleport.”  
  
_Teleport_? John wondered what the lizards couldn’t do. “That does sound like the only possible explanation. Until he wakes up, we won’t know for sure. I’ll work on the life support systems, while Max works on restoring the artificial gravity. Then I’ll start in on the navigational control system.”   
  
Several hours later, he heard Max’s warning just a moment before the whine of the gravity generators kicked in. The professor turned his body upright just in time feel the full effects of returning gravity, but, even so, he had to hang on to the edge of the computer console until his limbs got used to full gravity again. Next, John climbed down the stairwell and began working on the navigational controls, coordinating his efforts with the Robot and Max, who were still below deck working on the power systems. When the symbols and letters began swimming in front of his eyes, John finally took a break, realizing, to his surprise that he and the robots had worked for over eight hours straight. From the top of a console, Silverado cheeped his displeasure at being ignored for so long. “I’m calling it quits, gentlemen,” he called out on the shipboard communicator. “Give me a few hours sleep and I’ll be back.”   
  
Before retiring, though, he sent a quick coded message, letting everyone know he was all right. Maureen sent an enthusiastic reply, relieved and overjoyed that he was all right. The message also informed him that she, Don and Will were going on a short scientific expedition.   
  
‘_What sea mount are you studying now?_’ his coded communication asked.   
  
_‘The area near the sea quake_,’ came her answer. John frowned, not liking the idea of his wife and other members of his family so close to an area of recent geophysical activity. He said so in his response.   
  
‘_Murwon and the other scientists have run every kind of conceivable test. There is no instability in that area and there have been no aftershocks of any kind_.’ As he considered his answer, another message came in. ‘_I wouldn’t take Will anywhere near there if I thought there was any danger. We are not going the full distance. We will only be going two thirds of the way and then we’re turning back. It will take approximately two days each way_.’  
  
Still not satisfied, he typed in, ‘_How can you be sure that the instruments that Murwon has been using to run these tests weren’t damaged by the tidal wave or the earthquake itself_?’  
  
‘_They are not surface instruments, they were too far below the surface to be affected by the tidal wave and the quake only had minimal effect here in the Homeplace. All instruments were thoroughly checked. Readings will be taken throughout the trip to the site. There will be no surprises this time_,’ Maureen sent to him. ‘_Stop worrying, John!’ she added after a short pause. ‘We’ll be all right. Hurry with the repairs and join us!_’  
  
He sighed, knowing how fascinated his wife had been with the life that teemed in the oceans of this world. ‘_Please be careful_,’ he finally typed into the computer. Not surprisingly, while Penny was enjoying the cultural life in the Homeplace as well as the flora and fauna, Maureen had become totally engrossed in compiling all the scientific data she could during their visit. Realizing that Murwon and Murreena would let nothing hurt his family, John sent another message. It simply said, ‘_Have fun_.’   
  
Six hours later, feeling a bit more refreshed, John pulled a muffin out of the replicator and rode the elevator to the observation deck, where he continued working with the Robot on restoring the Jupiter II to full operating capacity. Off and on for the next two days, as he worked on the various ship’s systems, the remote survey kept coming to his mind. It nagged at him slightly, but he stuck it in the back of his consciousness as the most trivial of his duties right now. He had enough confidence in ssHreana technology to not doubt what Maureen told him.  
  
Finally, after he was satisfied that the ship was almost fully functional, John typed another message. Even though the Jupiter's communication system was functioning properly, apparently the ssHreana’s communications device wasn’t. Then he brought up the records from the remote sensors. He pulled up the geological survey program on the computer and checked out the input that had been received before the arrival of the tsunami. He grumbled as the figures marched across the screen, indicating sea floor activity within normal ranges. It didn’t make sense that there were no pre-indicators. He slowed down the scans and paid closer attention to each one, slowing them down even more as the moment of the onset of the earthquake came closer.  
  
John blinked and almost missed a slight anomaly that appeared briefly just before the seismic disturbance that spawned the huge wave. Typing in a command, John watched that part of the scan over and over again, each time keying in different geo-physical equations, slowing the scans down even further. A cold chill crept up his spine. “Robot, how long do you estimate it will take to get the Space Pod ready for immediate departure?” he asked.   
  
“There was almost no damage to the Space Pod, Professor Robinson. I estimate that it will be ready for launch in four point two hours.”  
  
“Try for half that,” he said tersely. Turning to the communications console, he keyed in a terse message to the Homeplace. ‘_Call back the scientific expedition. There is possible danger. I will be arriving in my space shuttle in a few hours to explain_.’   
  
He, Max and the Robot were able to get the Space Pod ready in less than two hours. Silverado rode lazily on his shoulder as John piloted the Space Pod through the upper levels of the atmosphere. When he touched down on the small island where he had lived for several weeks, he almost questioned the figures saying this was the right place. It had been changed almost beyond recognition. Through the observation port, he saw Murreena, Judy, Penny and Mark. Flutter dragons flew in tight loops. As he stepped out of the Space Pod, Judy and Penny enveloped him in their arms, their eyes asking questions. Mark held out his chubby arms for his portion of his grandpa’s attention. “Dad?” Judy began, but was interrupted by Murreena.  
  
‘_John, what did you mean in that message you sent_?’ Her silver blue eyes showed great concern.   
  
“Did you contact the expedition?” he asked, temporarily ignoring the question.  
  
‘_No, John, we couldn’t get through to them at all. There should not be a problem contacting Murwon, but I couldn’t get through to him. It is like there is a force field keeping them from communicating with us and we with them….’_  
  
John just stared for a moment. The implications of what could be happening to the expedition marched through his brain like so many goose-stepping soldiers. ‘_How soon can I be fitted with a device, Murreena_?’ he asked tersely. He ignored the twinges of fear that tried to infringe on his resolve.  
  
‘_Immediately_,’ she looked at him curiously, her luminous eyes mirroring the concern that he was feeling. ‘_Please, John. What has happened_?’  
  
“That earthquake wasn’t a natural phenomenon; it was deliberately set, Murreena. And those who set it are apparently still down there. If you can’t contact Murwon, then that can only mean that the expedition has been captured. We have to get out there,” he explained. Judy and Penny stared at him, their eyes wide with fear.   
  
‘_We have little time to loose, John_,’ Murreena said. ‘_Let’s go down to the reception center now and affix the device. I will also contact Korellis and the pod leaders. They will mount a large expeditionary force_.’  
  
“_That’ll be fine, Murreena, but I don’t plan on waiting for a force of that size to be put together. I’m going out there as soon as you fit me with one of those bio-adaptation devices_,” he said.  
  
‘_Yes, I agree, a few of us can be ready and go within a very short time._’  
  
Nodding, he slipped on the rebreather and mask, and walked into the ocean. As the waves gently pushed him back, he dove in, swimming just far enough out to pull on the fins. The others dove after him and swam effortlessly by his side.   
  
By the time they neared the reception dome Klik had joined them. He was silent as were the flutter-dragons who stuck close by their sides.   
  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Seven**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fiction](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
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	7. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
**  
** Chapter Seven-  
Confrontations  
  
  
  
As he mentally prepared to accept a bio-adaptation device, John ran his hand through his hair, brushing it out of his eyes. Then he noticed the ssHreana woman gazing at him, her eyes reflective. “Am I missing something?” he asked, puzzled.   
  
‘_I was remembering Maureen saying something to me just before she left with the expedition. It was about your hair, and how young you looked with it a bit longer than you normally wear it_,’ Murreena explained.   
  
John gazed at her, pondering the revelation. He had considered his over long hair as just another manifestation of his stress disorder. Up until recently, he hadn’t really cared one way or the other. And Maureen thought it made him look younger? “I was thinking what a nuisance it was falling in my face like this,” John told her with a wry smile.   
  
Silverado sat on his shoulder, cheeping merrily and tugging on his dripping hair. ‘_Easier to hang on to_,’ the zanling quipped.   
  
“Now I really will have to cut it,” John retorted, staring into his friend’s golden eyes. He couldn’t hide a glint of amusement and Silverado squeaked brightly. Turning back to Murreena, he said, “I believe I have a device that needs to be...uh attached.” He felt his heart beating faster and mentally cursed his fears. This was not the time for his mind to play games with him or for his determination to turn to so much jelly. John was irritated that despite all of his sessions with Grilong, there were still anxieties that he had to consciously turn aside.   
  
“Dad, it’s quite painless. I know you’d rather Mom were here, but I’ll be happy to help, even if it’s just moral support,” Judy said softly.   
  
John gazed at her, considering. The water still dripped down her shoulders and Mark, from the vantage point of the carrier strapped to her chest, played with her wet hair, causing the droplets to fly everywhere. “No, princess. I think I’d rather do this alone, but I appreciate the offer,” he said lovingly.   
  
Murreena led him toward a side room. It appeared to John that this room had been altered for the purpose of attaching the adaptation devices; it almost had the appearance of a doctor’s office, clinical and sterile. ‘_John, sit down while I prepare. Judy is right, it is painless and once installed, it regulates the body in making the necessary changes. Has Maureen told you the principles behind this type of invention_?’  
  
John walked to the observation port and watched various species of aquatic life skipping through the coral. He turned and observed Murreena pulling various items from a cabinet, including a small, palm-sized rectangular module that he recognized as the bio-adaptation device. “She tried to, but I really don’t remember much of what she said. Only that it caused a mutation to biological processes that exist deep in human genes.”  
  
‘_Yes, it is too complicated to explain the whole process now, but gill-like formations and functions are present in most humanoid species, including the species who lose those functions during the gestation period. This mechanism causes various organs to revert to those earlier functions, such as being able to obtain oxygen through the use of gill-like organs or bio-adapted lungs. And because you will be pulling oxygen from the water you are breathing, your body will always be pressure-normal with your surroundings. That is something that was not possible to totally accomplish with a rebreather_.’  
  
“That sounds easy enough,” he answered and then sobered immediately. “Shall we get on with it?”   
  
While relieved that there were no flashbacks such as John had previously experienced, Murreena felt a slight nervousness in her friend that was not just from anxiety for his wife. She wished she didn’t have to force him into something he still wasn’t quite ready for, but it couldn’t be helped. The danger to all of their loved ones was too great to back down now. Reaching into the cabinet, she pulled out a vial and a small syringe. Regardless of his pride, John would not be able to totally accept the mechanism in his present anxious state.  
  
The professor walked back to the window. “So I’ll be able to go into depths that the marine scientists back home just dream about, right?” he bantered. “Jacques Cousteau, eat your heart out,” he added, pushing the persistent memories out of the forefront of his consciousness. He had to do this, it was imperative to find the expedition, to find his wife and son and son-in-law.  
  
_‘I assume you are referring to a marine scientist on your Earth? Yes, you are correct. This Jacques Cousteau would benefit greatly by using this device. Please sit down, John. I cannot do this if you are nervously pacing. In fact, one of the conditions of the implanting is for the recipient to be completely relaxed and calm. You are neither_,’ Murreena said, taking John by the arm and guiding him to the contoured chair. He noticed the syringe in her hand, and shot her a look that was rife with irritation. ‘_John, we don’t have time to do this slowly. The syringe only contains something meant to relax you enough to accept the device. It will last for about an hour with no residual effects._’ Silverado perched on the back of the chair squeaking his encouragement.  
  
With a sigh, John acquiesced, nodding. Now was not the time to ‘tough it out.’ Immediately, he felt the prick of the needle in his shoulder, and a gentle flow of soothing lethargy coursed through his body. “By the way, Jacques Cousteau would benefit from this device only if he was alive,” John quipped as he slid a bit deeper in the chair, his body thoroughly relaxed. He felt Murreena’s musical laughter flowing through his brain.   
  
Her fingers parted his hair behind his right ear and John felt the coldness of the device as the circlet settled gently around his head. But there was no constricting pressure, and, thankfully, there were still no flashbacks to haunt him. With a slight smile, he felt what was going on, but wasn’t worried about it. A very slight pinprick of pain gave evidence of the device’s activation. Slight dizziness came and went almost immediately. John next felt a heaviness settle into his lungs, a heaviness that made him gasp a bit for air. It didn’t worsen and he looked up at Murreena. “I believe your device is working,” he murmured.   
  
After a few minutes, Murreena pulled out another device that looked a great deal like Maureen’s diagnostic tool, and held it near his body. ‘_Yes, all evidence indicates a smooth transition. Are you ready for your first excursion as a water-breather?’_  
  
“Yes, the sooner we take off after Murwon and Maureen, the better,” he said, pulling himself to his feet. A peculiar weakness seemed to have settled in, different from the lethargy that the drug had induced. Holding on to the back of the chair, he looked at Murreena for an explanation.   
  
‘_John, the feeling of weakness is a result of the change in your lungs and circulatory system. The mutation now allows for oxygen to be taken from the water more efficiently than from the air. You will be able to stay out of the water for short periods of time, as I can, but the air you are breathing now is not getting to your bloodstream effectively. You are somewhat oxygen deprived, especially with the recent change. Your system will stabilize, but we will soon need to go out_.’  
  
“Then let’s go.” John suddenly found Murreena at his side and was grateful. His legs felt rubbery and his ears were ringing. He allowed himself to be guided out of the little room and to the airlock. Penny suddenly appeared at his other side, making sidelong glances at him, concern in her eyes. “I’m fine, Penny. Just need to get out for a bit of fresh air,” he told her with a smile. Penny giggled in relief.   
  
As the airlock filled with water, John unconsciously held his breath, knowing it was silly under the circumstances, but unable to prevent the involuntary gesture. Finally, his lungs released the trapped air and he sucked in the surrounding water. The feel of the water rushing into his lung cavities was also strange and he floated motionless for a moment, getting used to it. After a short while he became acclimatized and felt the weakness dissipate. He swam around the reception building watching the fishes and other aquatic animals with the fascination of one who is not inhibited by tanks or similar gear.   
  
Penny and the lizards swam nearby. ‘_How do you like it, Daddy?’_ she asked.   
  
‘_It’s... different_,’ he replied slowly, trying to assess just how he did feel. ‘_But the freedom of movement is incredible_.’  
  
‘_Oh, I knew you’d love it, Daddy_!’ John not only felt Penny’s joy, but Judy’s as well. Tendrils of color and wonder flowed among their thoughts and John realized that he was picking up Mark’s emotions as well. Then tiny feelings of worry began to infringe on his relaxed state of well-being, and John turned to Murreena, also conscious of his own anxieties for his wife and family.   
  
_‘Murreena, we need to prepare to leave. I know you said that my body is adaptive to changes in pressure, but what about cold and light?’ _John asked. ‘_And speed. I doubt right now, I could sustain a long swim, especially a fast-paced one.’___  
  
‘_You are right, John. You will need to wear special swim gear to protect your body from the cold. Our outer layer of skin protects us from extremes in cold, but the device has it’s limitations, it can’t do that for you. You will also need to wear a mask, which is made to help you see well in dark conditions. We have scooters that will get us to the site very quickly. The others swam, pulling a sled, which could hold the scientific equipment. That is the reason that they went slower,_’ Murreena explained.   
  
John nodded and headed toward the building’s airlock. Once inside, he posed the next question that had come to his mind. “What about the zanlings? It’ll be quite deep for them.”  
  
‘_If they choose to travel with us, they will be provided with a small habitat, similar to the bubble your grandson was in before being implanted with the device. It will allow them the means to feed and to get air without going to the surface. Now, let us go to Korellis. I must inform the Homeplace podmaster of your findings. We will gather our supplies and leave before the first rest cycle_.’ Murreena explained.   
  
Suddenly sensing strangely morose thoughts emanating from Mark, John was disturbed. Calling on Silverado to help him, John gathered his grandson close to him and tried to make sense of the thoughts in the baby’s mind. There was none of the bright inquisitiveness usually accompanying Mark’s thought processes. Images of Don, Maureen and Will prevailed, along with darker colors, as though they were enveloped in a dismal fog. The baby began fussing and kicking in his arms. Judy watched, alarm evident in her features as well. She was well attuned to her son’s moods, and was very easily picking up his dark thoughts.  
  
‘_Danger, John. Baby senses danger for Don, Maureen and Will. Flitter feels it, too. We must hurry_.’Silverado sounded desperate.  
  
  
_______________  
  
  
With happy squeaks, the zanlings played tag inside their bubble habitat, causing it to bump against Don’s thigh. ‘_All right, you three, cut it out. We’re out to conduct experiments, not see how well you can imitate my son,’_ he admonished them. There was laughter in his thoughts, though. Maggie turned her luminescent eyes on him and cheeped softly. Carefully she eased her way out of the membranous airlock and swam toward Maureen. Nova and Jimmy Doolittle remained inside, perusing the airlock and then settling down together at the bottom of the bubble. ‘_You two are going to get a bad reputation for being lazy little bums, you know_,’ Don told them.   
  
‘_Not a lazy little bum, just careful. Tired anyway_,’ Nova informed him, his golden eyes twinkling merrily.   
  
Don swam behind Murwon, taking up one of the lines to the sled that carried the seismic instruments they had brought along to measure activity below the ocean floor. At times it had been tedious, but the pilot had felt more than rewarded by the incredible sights along the way. While it was relatively void of sunlight this far below the surface, it was by no means pitch black. As on Earth, many of the creatures carried their own means of light in the form of phosphorescent appendages or spots on their sides. Some of the coral glowed with the cold light of myriads of tiny creatures, while a few of the plant-forms shed green or yellowish auras.   
  
His swim mask pulled in all available light, making dim shadows more detailed. To his left, swimming almost parallel to him, was a large, lumpish looking creature, at least eight feet long and sporting a long line of bright white spots down its side. The head turned toward him and the mouth opened to show several rows of needle sharp teeth. Thankfully the mouth wasn’t big enough to take a bite out of any part of his anatomy, except his extremities, but Don kept glancing at it as he swam next to Murwon. It lazily swam away and the pilot breathed a mental sigh of relief.   
  
_‘The brivel feed mainly on torinthin, small fish-like creatures that are about the size of your fingers, Don. He was curious and wanted to know what kind of creature you were_,’ Murwon explained.   
  
‘_It’s sentient_?’  
  
‘_Not as we are, but it does possess a form of semi-intelligence. I can pick up rudimentary thoughts from brivel along with emotion_.’  
  
‘_How close are we to the epicenter_?’ Don asked, changing the subject.   
  
‘_We are just a bit more than halfway there_,’ Murwon answered. ‘_There is somewhat less than a day’s cycle left to travel_.’  
  
Don had been very anxious about bringing Will along on this expedition, but was assured that the boy and his mother would be sent back at the very first sign of any danger. Maureen had planned on returning before the expedition had reached the site pre-planned by the scientists, thus keeping the boy from any possible danger. Don suspected that an equally important reason was that she was worried about John, even though all indicators and communications showed that all was well on the Jupiter II. Don noticed, however, that Maureen, as a biochemist, was totally fascinated, mesmerized and enthralled with the plant and animal life. And for that reason, he knew it would be hard for her to turn back.   
  
The only regret she had voiced before the expedition was that John was unable to accompany them. It was his regret as well, not only because he missed John’s companionship, but he was well aware of his friend’s expertise in geophysics. Don felt grateful for the respite that John had been experiencing recently from his stress caused ordeal and hoped that soon all of that would be behind him. Everything had seemed to indicate that might be the case.   
  
They swam along steadily, watching the reef pass slowly below them, occasionally met by other members of this dim world. As with the brivel, most were simply curious about the nature of these new visitors. Once Murwon had to chase off two shark-like predators, but otherwise the trip was a safe one.   
  
Maureen broke into his thoughts. ‘_Don, I think it’s time for Will and I to go back. We’re not that far from the site, and I also want to see if John has been able to make voice contact. Srillen will drive us back on the small scooter_.’  
  
‘_Sure, Maureen. Maybe when John feels like trying out one of the devices, you two can have your own scientific expedition_,’ he told her, his mental laughter causing her to smile.   
  
She nodded and swam ahead to find her youngest child. _‘Will_,’ she called.  
  
_‘With Karoc, Mom_,’ came the answer. Maureen swam in the direction indicated, slowly making out the large object ahead of her as she approached. The shPhren watchman hovered just above Will, his luminous blue eyes looking off into the darkness around them. He was a huge creature, the size of a gray whale, his thin flippers giving the appearance of long arms, the tips equipped with sharp claws. Slight tendrils of worry danced in his head, and Maureen wondered what had alarmed Karoc.  
  
All too soon she knew. Out of the dim reaches of the ocean floor, she saw figures rushing toward them on small, motorized vehicles. They were wearing bulky suits, but were clearly humanoid and definitely not ssHreana. ‘_Will!_’ she shouted, swimming furiously toward her son. Karoc swung his massive bulk around with surprising speed, his fins poised for battle, but the shPhren was not faster than the laser beam shooting out from the weapon one of their attackers was holding.It hit the massive creature in the midsection, slicing it across the middle. With an agonized scream, the creature slowly sank to the bottom, its phosphorescentblood staining the dim depths.   
  
Don dropped the line of the sled and swam after Maureen. He cursed his lack of adequate weaponry, his slowness and lack of vigilance. A weapon swung toward Will and Maureen. ‘_Maureen! Watch out_!’ Another of their antagonists pointed a similar weapon toward him. A flash brightened the dimness, but immediately sent him into darkest oblivion.   
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Eight](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility8.htm)**  
---  
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	8. New Page 1

New Page 1

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
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**  
** Chapter Eight-  
The Rescue Begins  
  
  
  
  
Will slowly came out of the dark fog that enveloped him. His head pounded and his lungs felt as though they were on fire. Opening his eyes, he found that he was drifting near the bottom of a tank the size of a backyard pool. He looked around and saw several humanoids peering at him through large observation windows. Their enormous, violet eyes stared at him in abject curiosity. Some of them touched long, slender fingers to the glass. Perusing the rest of his noxious prison, he saw the other members of the expedition floating unconscious in various parts of the tank.   
  
He swam as quickly as he could to his mother and checked her. She was alive; her heart was beating strongly, but when he tried to awaken her, he was unable to. It was the same with Don and the ssHreana. ‘_Nova_?’ he called.  
  
‘_Nearby, Will. We are in a box. No light and the air is... nasty,_’ his friend reported.   
  
‘_The air in here is nasty, too_,’ Will told the lizard. He felt so tired that the least effort was a chore.Their captors must be using some kind of noxious substance to keep them in check. Looking up Will saw a type of wire mesh over the top of the tank. Slowly swimming to the surface, he found that it was impossible to move the heavy covering.   
  
A slightly distorted voice came through a speaker. “Humanoid. You will swim toward the blinking light near the top of the tank where one of our scientists will remove you from the tank. Can you breathe out of water?”  
  
‘_Yes, I can_.’  
  
“Good. When you are out of the tank do not try to escape or you will be severely punished. Do you understand?”  
  
‘_I understand._’ Will followed the directions and soon found himself on a small platform facing one of the very tall, extremely thin humanoids. Soft pinkish downy fur covered the entire body, elongated ears quivered and the violet eyes shifted nervously from one part of the boy’s body to the other.   
  
“The wroflin powder should have kept you unconscious until it had dissipated. Why are you awake?And what kind of creature are you?You are not ssMrillorrin.Why are you with them?” the alien asked. 

**Will noticed a translator in the humanoid’s long fingered hand, but** as groggy as he was, the questions were almost too hard to keep up with. Will shrugged. “I’m human.We are friends of the ssMrillorrin.”He began feeling angry.They had no right to do this to his family.“I don’t know why I’m awake. I’m just am, that’s all. But that stuff is terrible. How do you know that it won’t hurt my mom, Don or my friends?And why did you do this?”   
  
“Our scientists are not stupid. We know what will incapacitate the ssMrillorrin races,” he retorted. At the same time, however, the alien appeared unsure of his answer.“But we did not know there were others with the ssMrillorrin.”  
  
“But we aren’t from ssMrillorrin,” Will said hotly. His worry about his mother made him recklessly aggressive in his answers. “And this poison could be killing Mom!”  
  
The alien looked steadily at the boy for a moment. Then the eyes softened. They almost reminded Will of the little eyes of the Precious Moments children that were popular on Earth for a while. “We are not evil, uncaring beings, young one. We will lower the content of the wroflin in the water.”  
  
“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Will answered, mollified. “Why are you here anyway?”  
  
“We are searching for minerals that our planet desperately needs,” came the reply.  
  
“Why don’t you just ask the ssHreana?”  
  
“They have a ban on sea floor mining. It is considered environmentally unsafe,” the tall alien said.  
  
“I suppose so, if it causes earthquakes and tidal waves,” Will replied somewhat sarcastically.   
  
The creature looked sad for a moment and then he frowned.“You make fun of our dilemma.Our people are dying and need an element that is only found here.”   
  
“Did you tell the ssHreana pod leadership? I’m sure they would help you” Will asked, curious about this seemingly desperate people.  
  
“They were asked,” the pink furred alien replied tersely. “We were refused.”   
  
Will was flabbergasted. Shaking his head, the boy found it hard to believe that the gentle ssMrillorrin races could turn away those in as much need as these aliens seemed to be. Unless, of course, they had another reason for being here and this talk of dying races was just some kind of story to get people to feel sorry for them.He gazed at the alien and somehow felt that he was speaking the truth, at least about his race dying.But why would Murwon’s people refuse to help a race of people in need.It didn’t make sense.Will tried hard to keep an open mind about the matter, while at the same time wondering how they were going to get out of this situation.  
  
Looking around him, he saw hard-shelled creatures sliding across the room near the tank. The beings looked very much like crabs without the claws, and moved almost as though they were on wheels. He also saw that they were in room that resembled a small aircraft hanger with various boxes and crates of equipment and supplies.   
  
“We will release all of you in a safe place as soon as our job is done. We should only need one more detonation to reveal the biochemical element, then we will gather it and leave this planet,” the alien said. Will felt no guile in the downy skinned humanoid’s thoughts and was relieved. “It is time for you to return to the tank.” With many more questions than answers, Will entered the tank again.   
  
  


**========================**

**  
**   
John pulled on the insulated headpiece of the suit that so closely resembled a deep-water scuba suit that it was uncanny. Reaching back, he brushed the small device and suppressed a consequent shudder. Although he had quickly acclimatized to wearing the mechanism, he still could not totally repress the involuntary feelings it gave him occasionally. Shrugging, John pulled on the protective mask and adjusted it, and then he reached for the swim fins. Looking down, he grinned slightly. If Will were here, he would be making some kind of remark like, “You look like an underwater Ninja, Dad.” Sighing, he hoped that his fears for the absent part of his family were just the paranoia based on an overactive imagination, but deep down he was certain that they were not.   
  
The ssHreana were eager to accommodate every taste, having these suits in various colors. His choice of black was mainly for expedience. He and Murreena would be traveling in a dimly lit world, and this gear would render him almost invisible in that world, so he supposed that in the final analysis, Will’s appellation might be somewhat appropriate.   
  
‘_John, may I come in_?’ Murreena asked from outside the room.   
  
In answer, John went the door and pulled it open. Murreena had just been outside, and her wet skin reflected the blue colors of the ocean beyond the port window. John had never been able to totally tell the true color of the ssHreana’s skin. It seemed to reflect varying shades depending on their surroundings. Amazingly, her eyes seemed to have the same quality, today they were dark like antique silver, with just a slight glint of blue. Not that it really mattered, he thought to himself. He felt the eyes may be more reflective of mood rather than surroundings, as Murreena seemed tense and apprehensive. “I’m ready, Murreena.”  
  
She smiled. ‘_I am rather transparent in my feelings lately, aren’t I?_’  
  
Nodding, he just smiled in return. John supposed that he was rather transparent as well. “Klik will be coming along?” he asked, feeling more of her ‘stray’ thoughts. “I really don’t think there should be many on this trip. In fact, I feel the fewer there are, the less likely we will be detected.”  
  
‘_You are convinced there are other sentient being involved in this,’ _ she said rather than asked. _ ‘The pod leaders agree with your reasoning and our group will consist of only you, me and Klik_.’  
  
“Good. We’d better go.”  
  
  
=======================  
  
  
  
“Why did you lessen the tranquilizing mixture?” the crab-like creature demanded later in the day when he had observed slight activity in the prisoner’s tank. The alien’s jarring clicking noises were repeated through the translator, but the speed with which the alien chattered indicated his anger.   
  
His companion, the pink-downed humanoid, just shook his head. “Not all of the prisoners were of the ssMrillorrin races. There were three who are of another species. The young one of that race was fearful for his mother’s health. I did not see any harm in lowering the content of the substance and watching them more carefully,” Grilar, the slender alien, said huskily.   
  
“You are too soft-hearted. We must be aggressive or you will never get the breshel compound for your people,” the small creature clacked. “Remember what happened when we asked politely, as your government wished.” Kurilis turned his eyestalks toward Grilar in barely disguised contempt. “And I suppose you promised the whelp that you would let them go?”   
  
“Of course, we are not here to wage war on these creatures, just to get the breshel,” Grilar answered tersely.   
  
“Aah, no wonder your people are dying. They are weak to begin with!” Kurilis cried out in exasperation.   
  
Grilar decided to change the direction of this conversation, before he let his agitation become apparent. “Is the charge set?”  
  
“Almost. And the detonation program is set into the computer. Another three hours and then you need to gather your people and go to your ship. We will take care of these interlopers and follow in ours. There will be plenty of time,” Kurilis explained. “The last blast was small enough that the dome remained intact. This time the charge is larger, so the destruction will be greater.”  
  
“The last detonation seemed more powerful than needful, and this one will be even greater?” Grilar asked, incredulous. “I want you to release the prisoners with enough time for them to get away. We are not here to kill and I promised the young one they would not be harmed.”  
  
There was chattering clatter that the translator didn’t interpret. Grilar felt it might be just as well he didn’t know what his partner said. “Do you want the breshel or not?”  
  
“No, we don’t want it, we need it.”  
  
“Good, then do what I have told you to do. I will take care of the prisoners,” Kurilis retorted. Grilar just nodded his head, totally displeased with the outcome of this discussion.  
  
==========================  
  
  
The sea-scooters made good time, covering the distance to the disturbance area in one quarter of the time it took the expedition. Klik reported an installation ahead as they approached the epicenter of the recent earthquake, which only confirmed John’s suspicions. They left the scooters and swam until the dome shaped buildings came dimly into view.   
  
‘_They are obviously not expecting anyone else. Neither Klik nor Silverado have detected any guards,_’ John said, puzzled. Silverado’s little bubble bumped against his thigh.   
  
‘_They will be gone soon. Before any more expeditions arrive. They think Murwon’s was the only one,_’ Silverado interjected.  
  
‘_I detect the thought patterns of two distinct groups of sentient beings. They seem vastly different in ideologies, but are apparently in partnership_,’ Murreena reported.  
  
‘_Do you feel Maureen or Murwon, or any of the others?_’  
  
‘_I just barely feel evidence of their existence, but that is all_.’  
  
‘_As though they were being shielded_?’ John asked.  
  
_‘Perhaps, but I think different. Maybe as though they are unconscious. I do feel thoughts from Will, however. He is very tired and lethargic. I think the members of the expedition have been drugged, John,’_ she told him, her unhappiness tangible in her communication.   
  
John suddenly picked up on something Silverado said. ‘_What do you mean, ‘gone soon_?’ he asked the zanling.   
  
‘_Their thoughts are of leaving. They are also thinking of something that is under the ocean floor. Some are worried about...sickness, some are worried about...power, I think,_’ Silverado elaborated.   
  
John wondered why they would be leaving. Watching in the dim stillness, the professor pondered the lizard’s information. ‘Under the ocean floor.’ An explosion caused the last earthquake. They would probably have to leave if they were planning to set off another blast. ‘_Klik, can you tow me close to the entrance of that dome?_’ he asked. Then to Murreena, he said, ‘_they’re planning on setting off another charge! I’m going in. We have to stop it. Another earthquake like the last one could seriously damage your Homeplace as well as kill any of us in the vicinity. Be ready to help the others away from the installation._’  
  
‘_John, are you sure_?’  
  
‘_Murreena, I’m almost positive. Everything fits the pattern. And I doubt seriously that they plan on letting the expedition go either!_’ John told her as he grabbed onto Klik’s dorsal fin.  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Nine](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility9.htm)**  
---  
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	9. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
****

**Chapter Nine**

**Backed Into a Corner**

** **

**Murreena didn’t argue.Silverado had shown them vague images of the interior of the installation and she knew that her effectiveness would be limited.She was simply not used to the kind of open-air activity that would be required to rescue the scientific party.Not that she didn’t wish she could.Her life-mate was in there and she longed to be able to go to him; help John rescue him.Klik approached them.‘_John, if you hang on to my dorsal fin, I can pull you right up to the airlock.’_**

**__**

**Silverado squeezed out of the little habitat and swam beside him.Grabbing onto the Shamiril’s fin, John allowed himself to be pulled toward the dome-like installation.The complacency of the aliens in guarding their installation only bolstered his conviction that another blast was imminent.The tendrils of thought all seemed to be focused on individual jobs and evacuation.Letting go of Klik, John swam the last few feet and examined the airlock.‘_Silverado, Klik!Do you detect anyone near the airlock?’ _he asked. **

**‘_No, John, we don’t.But there are sentients preparing to leave.You must go in quickly,’ _Klik told him. **

**Finding a mechanism, John activated the airlock and soon found himself inside, watching the water quickly flow out of the tiny room.Pulling his mask down, he blinked at the bright light pulsing on the far wall.Bending down, he removed the fins and then approached the inner door.As the water finished its disappearing act, John pushed a button and stood to one side as the door whooshed open.At the far side of the room, he saw several downy skinned aliens gathering items in their arms and then exiting. **

**John felt fear as well.Fear for his loved ones.For nowhere in the cacophony of thoughts did he feel anything specifying the release of the expedition.With Silverado’s help, the professor was able to locate in the thoughts of one of the aliens, the location of the computer room. **

**Padding silently in the insulated wet suit, John first approached a large room containing the ‘prison’ tank, staying behind crates and equipment to avoid being spotted.However, Silverado’s communications confirmed that almost all of the aliens had left the compound.‘_Maureen, can you hear me?’ _he called. **

_**‘Dad?’ **_**That was Will.His call seemed a bit lethargic. **

_**‘Yes, Will.You need to awaken the others.I know that they’ve put a drug in the water, but it’s imperative that you get everyone awake.Can you do that, son?’**_

**_‘I’ll try, Dad.Thank goodness, I talked one of the aliens into lowering the dosage of the drug,’ _he said. **

**‘_Where are the lizards?’ _John asked. **

**‘_They’re in a box or crate nearby.They have been drugged, too.’_**

**_‘I think I see what you’re talking about, Will.Just get everyone awake and I will get Nova and Maggie,’ _John instructed._‘Then I’ll take care of the cover on the tank.’_**

_**‘Okay, Dad.’ **_

**He unlatched the box that held the zanlings prisoner and pulled off the cover, letting the fresh air revive them.Then he rushed toward the tank.Just as he reached it, John heard a door open on the far end of the room.One of the humanoids furtively padded over to the tank and climbed the ladder to the top, looking around as though fearful of detection himself.John flattened himself against the side of the reservoir and waited.Looking in, the pink-downed alien said quietly, “I have to leave soon.I am releasing you.I only hope you have enough time to get away.” **

**_Enough time to get away? _John thought to himself.Looking at his friend for help, he quested and was appalled.There was only a short time before the detonation.The alien was deluding himself, hoping, apparently, to assuage his guilt in his role in this operation by releasing his captives and hoping that they could get away in time.John sent a thought to Will.**

**‘_Dad, I can’t get everyone awake. Mom and Don are coming out of it okay, but Murwon and the others aren’t. What do I do?’ _Will asked plaintively.**

**‘_Keep at it, Will.I’ll see what I can do about the tranquilizer from this end.’_John looked up, gauging distance.The pinkish skinned humanoid was watching the activity in the tank.When his hand reached toward a small control panel at the top of the ladder, the professor realized that the time for action was now. **

**Sending quick instructions to Silverado, he silently scaled the steps.The zanling fluttered franticly in front of the lanky alien’s face, squeaking furiously.John threw his right arm around the humanoid’s neck and drew him to his chest.Seeing a translator at his waist, the professor didn’t waste time attempting telepathic communication.“How do you get rid of the drug in the tank?” he hissed in the quivering ear.**

**“I just did.Who are you?” queried the alien.John quested and found that the first statement was true. **

**“I am the husband of one of those expedition members in the tank and the father of another,” he answered.“Is there something that will speed up their recovery?” **

**“Yes,” came the response and a long, thin finger pointed to another button.John pushed it, feeling the veracity of the alien’s answer at the same time.“And that button releases the cover so they can get out.”John pushed that one, too.Looking down, he saw increased activity.**

**“Why are you setting off another explosion?” the professor asked tersely. **

**“We need the breshel compound.This is the only place we can get it and the Zrilon demolition expert said this was the only way to get it.”**

**“Your Zrilon expert is wrong.This explosion may enable you to get to the breshel, but it will also cause havoc on the seabed, including the ssHreana homeplaces.And the damage it causes will destabilize this part of the sea floor to the extent that it will be a long time before it’s safe for you to mine the breshel,” John replied.“I believe your partners have something else on their agenda besides helping you.”**

**“Dad!” Will said, a broad smile across his freckled face that had just popped above the surface.The other members of the expedition joined him.“I don’t know what you put into the tank, but I sure feel a lot better.”He climbed out and stood on the catwalk that perimetered the tank.The others soon joined him. **

**“Thank you for your help,” John said tersely to the alien.He turned to Maureen and a still slightly groggy Murwon.“Right now, you need to get out of the installation.They have a charge set to blow in a very short time.Most of this base has been evacuated already so you should have little problem if you go out of the auxiliary airlock that I came in.I’m going to the communications terminus and try to block the program that sends the demolition signal.”**

**“John, will you have time?” Maureen asked, her face wan with the effects of the drug and with fear. **

**“I’ll have to, dear.You and the others get out of here,” he said.He sent a telepathic message to Don.‘_Get Maureen and Will out of here, now!’_ **

**‘_Shall do, John.Good luck.’_Don immediately began ushering the others down the ladder.Maureen turned to John, a plaintive look on her face.Will had found the zanlings where they lay in the open box.**

**“Grilar, do you have deep sea equipment?” John asked the alien, who had been standing quietly at his side throughout the entire exchange.**

**“Yes, I do.”**

**“Then you will accompany the expedition and pray that I succeed, because if I don’t, we’ll all be just so many scattered molecules on the ocean currents,” John told the alien.**

**“If the countdown has begun, then there will be nothing you can do to stop the detonation.The computer program is impossible to bypass,” Grilar informed him.John stared at him.“There is no failsafe built in.And it was constructed so there would be no possibility of tampering.”**

**“Well, Grilar, you’d better pray that I can figure out something, because you don’t have time to get away before the granddaddy of all earthquakes hits this place,” John replied, sprinting down the stairs.**

** **

**=======================**

**John sat at the computer terminal looking at the symbology dancing across the screen in frustration.Grilar was right.There was no fail-safe; there were no commands that would terminate the program beginning the detonation sequence.The computer had been set to ignore any and all counteractive commands.He stared at the screen for a moment and then tried another sequence of instructions.ACCESS DENIED.Slapping his fist on the table in frustration, John looked up at Silverado sitting on the top of the computer monitor, squeaking his support.“Give me the solution, not just encouragement,” he said irritably.**

**Sitting back in the seat, John pondered his dilemma, considering everything he had learned from his and Silverado’s probing of Grilar’s mind.Suddenly, John smiled as sudden revelation hit him.He bent back over the keyboard, typing furiously.With Silverado’s help, he had been able to figure out the different symbols, and the rest he recognized from his dealing with alien races over the years.As he continued to type and send, he glanced up at the monitor.“Yes!” he hissed as he read the characters, which indicated access into the computer of the mother ship orbiting overhead.Carefully, the professor thought and typed, meticulously considering each equation and command. **

**The shutdown sequence ran frantically across the screen and then asked for an acknowledgment.John happily gave it.Next he worked on creating a block that would prevent anyone on the ship from initiating the detonation command again.After fifteen minutes, the professor realized he had met his match.He could get into some of programs and make changes, but he couldn’t break into the mother ship’s main hard drive. It was then that John knew he had only one option.And that was to destroy the installation’s computer before the deadly signal was initiated again.After trying unsuccessfully to put a self-destruct program into the machine in front of him, John looked up at Silverado, who had been watching pensively.“My friend, do you know where they store the weapons and armaments?”he asked.**

**‘_Yes, John, but most are gone,’ _Silverado answered him, concern evident in his thoughts. **

**“It won’t take much.But we have to stop the main detonation.”The little lizard flew over, landed on his shoulder and passed along messages received earlier from workers in the installation.“Let’s go, before someone on the mother ship gets wise to my tampering,” John told him.Stealthily, the pair made their way along dim corridors.They met no one on the way.Smiling grimly, the professor realized that as soon as the detonation didn’t take place, the scientists on board the ship would quickly figure out what he had done.Speed was of the essence. **

**The cargo room had indeed been stripped of almost all its contents, and John suspected that the only reason there was anything at all left was because time had run out to salvage what remained.Quickly gathering what he felt was useful, the professor paused at the doorway to catch his breath.He breathed deeply, but the feeling of not getting enough air persisted.**

**‘_Need to get back to the water, John,’ _Silverado reminded him.**

**“Need to get the job done and then I can go back into the water,”John commented tersely.He had temporarily forgotten the bio-adaptive device.“Let’s get back, before my programming is discovered.”Silverado chirped in agreement. **

**As soon as they returned to the computer room, John sorted the materials he had gathered, quickly putting together the components for a small device capable of destroying the communications center.Typing a command into the computer, he then connected his makeshift bomb to the machine. **

**A slight noise to his rear caused him to pivot in alarm.A crab-like creature, about the size of a St. Bernard was in the doorway, a weapon in one of its tiny claw-like hands, its eyestalks waving in anger.**

**==========================**

**Maureen swam reluctantly behind the others, presumably to watch Grilar, but mainly because she felt a strong urge to go back.Go back to John.Help him if he needed her help, be with him if he didn’t.It was like a line being tugged.It was a tangible urge, greater than any she had felt before.‘_A life line,’_ she thought in bemusement. **

**Maggie squeaked from the small bubble habitat floating by her waist.‘_Go to John,’ _her companion urged. **

**‘_Will,’ _Maureen called, careful not to let anyone else ‘hear’ this exchange.She knew that Don would pitch seven kinds of fits if he knew what she had on her mind. **

**‘_Yes, Mom?’_**

_**‘I’m going back to help your dad.We’ll catch up.’**_

**_‘Let me go with you,’ _Will pleaded **

**‘_No, Will.You stay with Don,’ _she said and then paused, looking carefully at her youngest son.Even through the mask, there was no mistaking her stern look.‘_This time, son, follow my instructions.’_**

**There was no communication for several seconds.Finally, ‘_All right, Mom.But be careful, please.’ _ **

**‘_Yes, dear.Will, I love you.Your dad and I will join up with you soon.’_Maureen told him as she swam back toward the installation.While still a little tired from the narcotic laced water in the holding tank, she felt her strength returning with every stroke she took back to the installation.**  
  
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**[Chapter Ten](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility10.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
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	10. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Ten- **

**Here One Minute, Gone the Next**

**Throwing himself to the side and rolling onto the floor, John saw a flash and heard the noise of a chair behind him exploding into so many bits of metal and fabric.The professor kept himself behind the computer consoles, rightly figuring that the creature was hesitant to fire on him for fear of hitting the computers.Quickly sprinting toward the door, John leaped at the Zrilon, somersaulting over the hard-shelled back and into the corridor.Springing to his feet, and running down a corridor, he almost ran into Maureen and Maggie.**

**“What...?”Only hesitating for a second, he grabbed her hand and resumed his flight down the corridor.He felt his lungs laboring to gather in enough air, reminding him of the bio-adaptive device and his need to return to the water.Pushing that thought out of his mind, he concentrated instead on trying to get out of the installation with Maureen.“We have to get out of here.As soon as the detonation program is initiated again, this place is going to blow.And unfortunately, I’m not exactly sure how powerful a bomb I made.”They continued sprinting toward the airlock.As they rounded a corner, a contingent of crab-like aliens met them, all with weapons ready.John skidded to a halt, pushed Maureen behind him and raised his hands.His mind worked furiously, trying to find a way to escape, but there were too many weapons, and his opponents seemed nervous, their eyestalks waving furiously, their thoughts jumbles of fear and anxiety.**

**“Back to the communications room, alien,” the lead creature clicked, the translator making a quick interpretation.**

**Sighing, John turned, and placing his arm around Maureen, escorted her back the way they came.The flutter-dragons squeaked pensively.‘_Quiet.It wouldn’t take much for them to shoot us right now,’ _he told them.He felt a momentary dizziness, which passed quickly.Taking several deep breaths, John managed to pull in enough air to satisfy the needs of his body.**

**Maureen looked up at him in concern.‘_John, how long have you been out of water?’_**

_ _

_**‘Don’t know, but if we can’t get away soon, it won’t really matter, anyway,’ **_**he answered, morosely.**

**When they walked into the communications room, they saw another Zrilon working on a smaller computer near the floor.It immediately swung around, its eyestalks waving in fury, its clacking speech sounding harsh with anger.“You have invaded the main computer!” **

**“Yes, I did.You are irresponsible to cause the mass destruction your device would create.There are better ways to mine the breshel compound then by destroying the habitats of thousands of creatures,” John stated fervently.“We can go and explain the need for the breshel to the members of the Homeplace pods.Just stop the detonation.” **

**“You think we are naive?” the alien asked.It motioned to the soldiers behind them.“I will get great pleasure in leaving you here to feel the power of the final detonation,” he added.**

**Several of the soldier’s clawed appendages grabbed at him and Maureen.“No!” Johnshouted, kicking at the captor holding him.The Zrilon slid across the floor before stopping itself.Pivoting, the professor tried to pull another soldier off Maureen, but several of the aliens grabbed at his legs, dragging him down to his knees.As the crab-like creatures tied him up, he struggled, but finally gave up, collapsing to the deck exhausted.**

**“Soon the technicians will figure out your commands and you will be the only firsthand witnesses to a most glorious explosion.Unfortunately you will not be alive to report on it,” the alien clacked in self-satisfied amusement.**

**John’s gaze turned to the computer station to which Maggie and Silverado had retreated. ‘_Can’t get enough air.Can’t think.’ _His thought processes seemed mired in molasses.Then he noticed one of their captors roughly binding Maureen’s hands and John blurted out, “Let her go....”**

**‘_John, don’t,’ _Maureen pleaded.**

**As soon as both humans were tied up, the crab-like creatures left.The ensuing silence was only broken by the soft sounds of regenerated air whooshing through the air vents and the pensive squeaking of the flutter-dragons.John had never felt so helpless.He struggled against the cords, but they were too strong for him.He saw Maureen doing the same thing with hers, with the same results.‘_Why did she come back,_’ he asked himself.Frustration raged inside, but he held it in tight rein.**

**Silverado’s golden eyes bored into his own.‘_We must go. Bomb will explode soon.’_**

**‘_I know,’ _John agreed.‘_But I can’t get loose.’_**

**Suddenly the monitor lit up, and figures for the detonation sequence began marching ominously across the screen.“I’m sorry,” he told Maureen.“You should have stayed with the others.”__**

_**“**_**I’m sorry, too.But we are together.You will not be taken from me again.I love you, John.”__**

_ _

**There was a sudden flash from behind the computer console and then nothing.Cold, bitter nothing.**

****

**__________________________**

**Through the long-range scanners, Murwon watched the quick flash of an explosive device and then the implosion of the installation dome.Slowly and deliberately, with an almost majestic movement, the walls of the structure fell in on themselves.Murwon turned to Grilar.‘_Does this precede the detonation of the underground explosive?’_**

**Grilar shook his head and spoke into the translator in his suit.‘_No, something happened.If everything had gone as planned, I’m afraid we would be dead by now, because we aren’t far enough away.John Robinson said that many miles wouldn’t be far enough away.’_**

_**** _

**Glancing at her friend’s son, Murreena commented, her sadness permeating all of her listener’s thoughts, ‘_John and Maureen saved the Homeplaces.’_**

_**‘Dad and Mom got away, didn’t they?’ **_**Will asked plaintively, fear permeating his thoughts.**

**Placing his hands on the boy’s shoulder, Don said, ‘_No, Will, I don’t think they did.’_**

_ _

_**‘I don’t hear them,’ **_**Murwon corroborated, his sadness palpable_.‘I’m sorry, Will Robinson.’_**

_ _

**Tears can’t be seen in the ocean, but Klik knew they were there.He swam next to Will and gently rubbed the boy’s chest. **

****

**_______________________________________**

**The smell of decayed leaves and rotting logs greeted Maureen’s slowly returning consciousness.An insect buzzed in her ear, and various forest creatures squawked, squeaked and sang around her.‘_Insects?’_ she thought in bemusement.Rolling over and opening her eyes, she looked up through gauzy, blue-green leaves and saw a violet tinged, blue sky dotted with puffy clouds.A slight breeze ruffled the leaves.As she sat up, she was aware of the smell of new blossoms.Somehow, the place seemed familiar, but she couldn’t figure out why.**

**‘_We are safe, Maureen,’_ Maggie’s assurance came drifting through her thoughts.Maureen turned her head and looked into the flutter-dragon’s golden eyes.**

**“But where?” Maureen asked.A soft wheezing sound at her side caused her to look down.John lay next to her; his breathing coming in ragged gasps, and in alarm, she realized he had almost reached the limit of his time out of water.Jerking off her swimming glove, Maureen reached over and touched him on the cheek.He looked so pale, so vulnerable.They had to find water soon.**

**‘_I will look, Maureen,’ _Maggie told her, spreading her gossamer wings and zipping off through the gray-barked trees.Turning back to John, Maureen grabbed the front of his aqua suit and pulled him to a sitting position, letting him lean against a tree trunk.It wasn’t much, but at least he would be able to breathe a little easier.She undid and pulled off the headpiece of his aqua suit.**

**“Oh, John,” she murmured, pushing an errant lock out of his eyes.He muttered something, and then returned to total unconsciousness.Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Silverado, lying in a heap near John’s feet, looking more gray than silver.Maureen picked the zanling up and examined him.He was still alive, but very deeply asleep, so she laid him on John’s lap.She wondered what was wrong with him and then remembered that Maggie had told her about his teleportation to the Jupiter II.But to teleport them all to this other place was almost beyond comprehension.‘_No wonder he’s so ashen_,’ she thought, still astonished at Silverado’s abilities. **

**Maureen prayed that the little blue lizard would succeed in her quest. Her thoughts turned to the children and she wondered if they would know that she and John were alive.In despair, she felt that they wouldn’t._‘How can they?’_ she thought, bitterly._‘The installation was blowing up around us.’_The only thing she could think to do was to wait.Sitting down next to John, she laid her head lightly on his shoulder, listening to his labored breathing.She began feeling the familiar discomfort in her chest, and made herself breathe as evenly as she could.Had Silverado brought them from the frying pan to the fire, she wondered?**

**Maggie flew back and landed on her knee.‘_There is a small stream nearby.It is not much, but it will help,’ _the flutter dragon announced, pointing her tail in the direction they needed to take.**

**‘_Thank you, Maggie.Anything will help.Now we just need to get there,’_ Maureen said.Turning to John, she shook him gently.“John, you have to wake up,” she said shaking him a bit more forcefully.His eyes opened slowly, finally focusing on her.“John, Maggie says there is water nearby, but I can’t carry you.You have to help me.”**

****

**He nodded and grasped her hand.Then his gaze swept over the still form in his lap.His eyes showed his alarm as he reached down and touched Silverado.**

**“He’s alive, dear, only unconscious,” she told him softly.Maggie flew over and dropped onto his lap, squeaking softly.Silverado finally raised his head and blinked sleepily at her, almost immediately laying his head back down on John’s lap.He didn’t even chirp when Maureen picked him up and placed him on her shoulder, where he draped lethargically.**

**Using Maureen’s outstretched hand, John pulled himself up.He leaned against the tree, panting, and then he let Maureen guide him through the trees, and down a gentle slope.“Where are we?” he asked, almost inaudibly.**

**“I don’t know, John, but it sure isn’t ssHreana, unless there were land areas that Murreena didn’t tell us about.We’ll find water soon, and then we can figure that mystery out.” **

**Their progress was slow, and Maureen agonized at their snail’s pace.John’s steps faltered and slowed, and he alternated hanging on to her for support and hanging on to the numerous trees along their way.“I’m sorry, dear,” he murmured between breaths.**

**“We’ll get there, just keep walking,” she said gently, keeping the desperation out of her voice.‘_Maggie!How close are we?’_**

****

**‘_Very close, Maureen, I can hear the sound of water,’ _the zanling informed her.**

**“Thank heavens!” she said.“John, Maggie says we are almost there.” **

****

_**‘Go ahead, Mo.I’ll follow.’**_

_****_

_**‘Don’t be asinine, John,’**_** she snapped._ ‘Together.We go together.Come on.Hang on to me.’_**

_**‘Yes, dear,’ **_**he answered meekly.**

**Maureen felt the slightest tendril of humor in his thoughts, but most importantly, he held on to her as she continued toward the source of their succor.Soon she heard the gentle murmuring of water ahead of them, and she accelerated her speed slightly.Apparently John heard it, too; he quickened his pace to match hers.The trees cleared out and they found themselves standing over a crystal clear, sparkling stream.But Maggie had been right; it was small.It would have to suffice, however, until they could find a lake or river.**

**Gratefully, John stumbled into the stream, which was no more than a foot deep at its deepest.Falling to his knees, he let himself collapse face forward, where he was able to pull the water into his lungs, feeling the rejuvenating rush of oxygen in his system.Finally he felt refreshed, and reluctantly pulling himself out of the stream, sat on a boulder nearby, shaking his head and making the droplets fly.“This damned thing comes off as soon as we return,” he growled, feeling slightly undignified.He stared into the stream while Maureen followed his example.**

**Suddenly John began laughing.It began softly, a chuckle deep in his throat and then gained in volume until he was laughing hard enough to wipe the tears from his eyes.**

**Refreshed herself, Maureen looked up at him, puzzled, but his laughter was contagious and her eyes sparkled in amusement.**

**“Sitting in the middle of a creek with our heads under water just struck me as being ludicrously funny.We are in a rather strange predicament, you know,” he said, still chuckling.Reaching his hand out to his wife, John helped her out of the stream and put his hand around her waist.They both stood watching the deep golden sun shining through the tree limbs as it traveled toward its rendezvous with the distant hills.**  
  
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**[Chapter Eleven](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility11.htm)**  
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**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
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	11. New Page 2

New Page 2

_** Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
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**Chapter 11- **

**Zanling Dawn**

**“It’s beautiful, John.I wonder where we are?” she asked, as they sat together on a boulder and gazed at their surroundings. **

**“I don’t know, but I keep thinking I should know this place.Maybe Silverado can enlighten us when he is feeling better,” he answered.**

**“So you think he brought us here?” **

**“I can’t think of any other explanation, dear.He can teleport himself.I don’t think Maggie can do that yet,” John mused aloud.“So it had to be Silverado.And he looks as though he’s been wrung out and hung to dry, too.It couldn’t have been easy. **

**“Do you think that if we followed this stream, we’ll find something bigger?” she asked.**

**“Yes, I believe so.”His arm tightened around her waist and she took comfort in the warmth of his body.“The children believe we’re dead.They will be thinking they’re orphans now,” he finally said morosely.In the moment when he thought they really were going to die, John had seen the flash of the detonation, felt the death/fear/ending of those still in the installation as he and Maureen were pulled into the netherworld of teleportation.There was nothing else those on ssMrillorrin could think.**

**A sudden, unbidden tear spilled down Maureen’s cheek.Seeing it, John reached over with his free hand and gently wiped it away.“As soon as Silverado is well enough, we’ll go back.I promise, Maureen,” he whispered in her ear. **

**“I know, John.Right now, though, I suppose we need to concentrate on our own survival.”**

**“Yes, although it seems benign enough here, we need to find a safe place to spend the night,” he observed.As the sun began its exodus toward dusk, they continued walking parallel to the stream, occasionally taking the opportunity to refresh themselves.Finally they came to a place where the stream narrowed and rushed into a small crevice set among an outcropping of boulders.Further exploration revealed a diminutive pool beyond the outcropping.**

**“This makes it a bit less difficult,” John murmured appreciatively.“I think we will be safe enough if we spend the night among these rocks.You’ll get to see me try out old Boy Scout tricks, m’dear.”**

**Maureen chuckled as she gathered twigs and sticks for a fire.A short while later, John stared at the pile of materials and shook his head.Maureen didn’t have to be a mind reader to understand his dilemma.She had gone through the same pre-flight survival training as he had and the techniques that had been taught presupposed some basic facts; mainly that they would have a fire starting kit, or in lieu of that, bits of material to make into a bow or similar fire starter.Their underwater suits precluded appropriating any such strips of material.**

**Suddenly he stared up at the blue lizard sitting on Maureen’s shoulder.‘_Maggie, do you think you could look along the stream bed for a certain rock?’ _he asked and showed her a mental picture of what he was looking for.With a chirp, she flew off, her golden eyes gazing carefully at the ground.It was a long shot at best, but John was ready for some good fortune.**

**Silverado squeaked and rolled over, letting the warm dust coat his silver hide.He opened one eye and stared at his friend. **

**“Welcome back to the land of the living,” John said with a slight smile.**

**The silver zanling cheeped lazily.**

**“How are you?” John asked.“I presume you brought us here.” **

**‘_Yes, I did.’_**

_**‘Where is here?’ **_**John asked, opening his thoughts up to let Maureen in on the conversation, too.**

**‘_Zanling home,’ _came the short answer.**

**___________________________**

**Mark laughed and clapped his hands, bouncing so hard that Penny almost lost her grip.He was growing and was becoming almost too big for her to hold on her hip for more than a few minutes.She didn’t know how her big sister did it.To her surprise, his thoughts had become bubbly and bright, filled with kaleidoscopic color and musical sounds.Intertwined with it all were small snippets of scenes with her mother and father.Daddy reading to him, Mom playing on the floor with him, all of the flutter dragons dancing their aerial celebrations in the air.All of these were interspersed with underwater scenes where everyone swam around and through multi-colored fronds of kelp-like growths.She wondered at the baby’s sudden outpouring of bright and happy thoughts, which had, up to now, been dark and full of loss.**

**‘_Why happy, Mark?’_ she asked, really not knowing how to investigate this.Penny put her questioning into visual images and found the source of his happiness to be from Nova and Jimmy Doolittle.Puzzled, she called for the little flutter-dragons named, as well as her own four. **

**‘_Why is Mark happy?’ _she asked, showing them the images she felt in the baby’s mind.**

**In answer, Nova replayed the scenes just before and during the destruction of the underwater base.She felt the deaths of the aliens who had not been able to evacuate in time, as well as the grief of the scientific expedition.Nova squeaked impatiently at her and replayed his impressions of Mom and Dad’s feelings just before the explosion; their frustration, fear and desperation, and then there was nothing. **

**‘_Difference,’_ Nova said simply. **

**“Difference?” Penny asked aloud.‘_A difference…?’_“A difference!” she cried out.The aliens’ deaths, as painful as it was for her to feel them again, were different than the cessation of thought from her parents.Mom and Dad’s thoughts simply ceased; there was no death ‘feeling.’They had not died; they were just gone.But where?**

**“Judy?”**

**“Yes, Penny,” her sister answered.Judy was preparing cereal for Mark in the kitchen area of the reception hall.Afterward there was a meeting with Grilar and another representative of his planet.‘Yet another useless apology,’ Penny thought.“Judy, I just let Nova and Jimmy ‘replay’ the events surrounding the demolition of the base.Did you know that there was a distinct feeling of death for those left behind?”**

**“Penny, now you’re getting morbid.How gross!” Judy snapped.**

**“You don’t understand, Judy.I didn’t feel that with Mom and Dad.And Nova didn’t feel that with Silverado and Maggie, either.They were just gone.The others died.Mom and Dad and the flutter-dragons just disappeared.”**

**“What?Are you trying to say that Mom and Dad aren’t dead?” **

**“That’s exactly what I’m trying to say.They just disappeared.” The more she said it, the more Penny believed it.She had to believe it, because it offered her hope; hope she didn’t have before.**

**“But where and how?” Judy asked. **

**“Where and how what?” Don asked as he came through the doorway, taking the baby from Penny.“He sure seems happy today.I was worried that he was going to keep picking up on our moods.” **

**“Don, Penny and the lizards have figured out that Dad and Mom and their lizards aren’t dead, they just disappeared somewhere,” Judy explained simply. **

**“They figured out a way to teleport,” Penny announced.Judy and Don just stared.The zanlings squeaked in triumph. **

**“Wait a minute, John said something about Silverado teleporting to the Jupiter II.Could he have done it with all of them?This is great news!” Don cried out happily. **

**____________________________________**

**Kurilis paced the small confines of the conference room on thin ciliated legs, his eyestalks waving furiously in anger.“Our work has been set back many brilos by that meddlesome human and his ssHreana friends,” he fumed.A slightly larger Zrilon watched his angry counterpart pace for a while.Finally he clacked for the other’s attention.**

**“Peace, Kurilis.This may yet work out for us.From the information gathered from our spy implants we know that the ssHreana are now sympathetic to the Qolon and are agreeing to mine the breshel for them.It may set us back a brilos or two, but in the long run we may end up with more kenno flames crystals than we would have had before.We simply wait for the partnership to reach the breshel and the crystals, then we send in an expeditionary force to gather the crystals.We will attack so quickly that no one will realize what has happened until we are already gone.And by the time anyone traces the theft to us, we will have utilized the crystals.Any retaliation against us will be ineffective and easily crushed,” the Zrilon leader, Lloris, added, his mandibles clacking in an almost soothing manner.**

**Kurilis stopped his pacing and turned his eyestalks toward his superior.“Then all is not lost?” **

**“No, of course not.Order the ships to hyper jump beyond the linear edge of the Brevis solar system near the stellar asteroids that encompasses it.Leave a communications probe so that we can monitor the ssHreana.We will be patient.We can afford to be,” Lloris stated softly.“In the long run, we will own everything, even time itself. No, Kurilis, a few brilos will be of little consequence.And, as you told me in the report, the meddlesome human leader is dead anyway, so he will not be able to pass along any information that would make the ssHreana suspicious.Make a report to the council.”**

**Kurilis touched his eyestalks to the ground and glided out of the room.**

**_____________________________**

**“Robot, I want to know where Mom and Dad are.I’ve given you all the facts I can give you,” Will said.“Even though I know they aren’t much.”He had arrived only a short time before in the space pod, craving the company of the Robot along with answers to his questions. **

**The Robot’s internal servomechanisms whirred for a few minutes and then with a snap his bubble-shaped head and pincer arms retracted.“Will Robinson, I will let you come back to the Jupiter II to visit, but I would prefer that you not bring me impossible-to-compute questions.”**

**Will chuckled.For a mechanical intelligence, which had on occasion claimed to have no emotions or sense of humor, the Robot very often seemed to have both. “I know this was a tough problem, but I wanted to know if you had some factual insight to add to Penny’s intuitions.”The boy stood at the console and watched the stars wheeling majestically in front of him.“And I missed you, too.”**

**“I missed you as well, Will Robinson.I miss all of you.Based on what you have told me, my sensors indicate agreement with Penny that the Professor and Mrs. Robinson are alive.As to where, I cannot say.I can only give suppositions, which may have less than a fifty-percent chance of being correct.Do you wish for me to state these?”**

**“Yes, please.” **

**“Supposition one.The Zrilons had a teleportation device that was activated at the same time the detonation of the installation occurred.Supposition two.Your parents found a teleportation device similar to that which was used on Karturm.Supposition three.The zanling, Silverado, found a way to teleport two humans and two zanlings over interstellar distances,” the Robot intoned. **

**“Grilar never mentioned the existence of such a device, but I’ll ask when I return to the planet.He’s heading up the Qolon part of the mining delegation.I would imagine that if Dad and Mom had another cube, it would have been evident in their last thoughts before the explosion.But since when was Silverado able to teleport like that?He only teleported himself to the ship didn’t he?” Will asked.**

**“Yes, Will Robinson, but we really do not know the full potential of the zanlings abilities,” the Robot answered.**

**“But where would he have taken them?” Will asked. **

**“Probably somewhere he was familiar with,” Max responded before the Robot could give an answer.“Karturm was the place they were most familiar with, but there is the possibility that they may be on Krimlon, Earth or any of the places you visited when you were being hunted.”**

**The Robot raised and lowered his bubblehead with a snap.Will recognized the action as one of robotic irritation, and he smiled softly to himself.“You know, Robot, that is the only feasible explanation.”The automaton seemed to be a bit mollified at being addressed directly.**

**‘_Nova, is what the Robot and Max described possible?’ _Will asked his little companion.**

**Up to now, Nova had been sitting quietly on the communications panel, but now he cocked his head and squeaked.‘_It must be possible, Will, but I do not know how Silverado was able to do it.Perhaps he was able to see inside the cube we used to find you on Anoxis,’ _the little lizard suggested.**

**‘_See inside the cube?Interesting.I wonder how one would do that?’ _he mused.Nova’s answer was just a telepathic equivalent of a shrug.**

**“Robot, we’re going to have to return soon, but I want you to keep an eye on anything going on in the vicinity.I have a funny feeling about those Zrilons.They wanted something besides payment from the Qolon for helping them, but I can’t put my finger on what it was.They kind of took off awfully fast without any kind of argument” **

**“I am already keeping an ‘eye on things,’ Will Robinson.There are no ships anywhere in the vicinity of this solar system, although there is something that could possibly be a probe of some kind.It is very small.Perhaps it would be wise to ask the ssHreana if they have probes at the outer edges of their galaxy,” the Robot intoned.**

**“I will, Robot,” Will pondered out loud.“Thanks.”**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Twelve](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility12.htm)**  
---  
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	12. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
# ****

**Chapter Twelve**

**Conquest Begins**

**Qurilis, the current leader of the gifted ones, keeper of the old ways, and largest of the race of zanlings closed his golden eyes and sighed.The humans would most certainly need help.The young one, the one bonded to the human leader, had been unable to get the little group close to the caverns.He sighed again, then raggedly drew in a breath.Aging was glorious up to a point, he decided, but now his body was interfering with life’s pleasures.Mentally, he chided himself.He should have been able to help the little one get them here.He should have been able to give him clearer instructions.Events on the water planet had taken him by surprise, but Qurilis was gratified that the young one was learning so quickly. **

**‘_Brixel, take several mounts and go meet the Guardian and his beloved.They will need your assistance getting here,’ _he instructed his Krimlon attendant.The young man was somewhat short, with red hair, slightly pointed ears and a bright smile.**

**“We will set out immediately, Lord Qurilis,” he said, then did a double take.“The Guardian?” **

**‘_Yes, one of those you are meeting is the Guardian._ _Once you find them, you will have to hurry back.Their lives may depend on your speed.Do you understand?__'_**

**“Yes, my lord,” Brixel said with a slight bow, quickly leaving the room.**

**The deference of these non-gifted Krimlon refugees was somewhat annoying at times, but soon that would be a moot point.The old would pass, as they had on K’rt’rm and the young ones would soon be ready to usher in, what Qurilis hoped, would be a new era of peaceful coexistence between the gifted and the non-gifted.Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the little group camped for the night near the south end of this valley of refuge.He was deeply troubled.The bonding had been right, the progress of the zanling prince-in-waiting better than expected, but it appeared there was a price.The Guardian had suffered from the severe strain of events associated with the bonding.Even though he had adapted well enough, Qurilis would have to ponder what he could do to help John Robinson.**

**‘_Garis,’ _he called.Another Krimlon approached from the outer chamber and bowed.‘_I wish to be left totally alone until the arrival of the prince-in-waiting and his entourage.I have need of much meditation,’ _Qurilis instructed.**

**“Yes, my lord,” Garis answered and left.Qurilis knew his desires would be strictly obeyed.Laying his golden head down on his resting pad, he alternately dozed and meditated.**

**_________________________**

**John stretched quickly, trying to ease the stiffness out of his aching back, before he placed his hands once more at the top of the fire drill.Maureen’s hands reached the bottom and he took over, the spinning of the long wooden stick continuing in a never wavering action.Maureen waited until his hands worked their way down to the bottom again, and then she took over.“What I wouldn’t give for a box of matches right now,” she commented wryly.Maggie chirped penitently. **

**“It’s not your fault I sent you out on a wild goose chase,” John told the little lizard, referring to her search for flint-like stones.“But right now, I sure do wish you had more dragon than flutter.”Maggie gave a puzzled squeak and John showed her a quick vision of a fire-breathing dragon.The little blue zanling chirped in astonishment.John laughed as he took his turn once more on the fire drill.“No, what I showed you only exists in fantasy stories, Maggie.”**

**After what seemed an eternity, a red glow began to show at the bottom of the stick, and a short while later tiny tendrils of light-colored smoke became visible in the darkness.A miniscule flame bolstered their hopes and caused renewed efforts.As John continued spinning the drill, Maureen began blowing softly and feeding tinder to the newly created fire.Soon John lay back on the ground, a satisfied look on his face.The crackling fire was small, but it was enough to give not only light, but comfort.Maureen nestled up against his shoulder and soon felt his strong arm encircling her body.Silverado woke up long enough to crawl on to John’s chest and curl up again.Maggie snuggled up between Maureen and the fire. **

**“I told you I could do it,” he commented with a wry grin.“But I was beginning to have doubts.Actually, my dear, if you hadn’t been helping me, I wouldn’t have succeeded. ” **

**“It just would have taken you a little longer, my darling Boy Scout,” Maureen replied with a smile.**

**“I’m getting too old for the ‘little longer’ part.Thanks for helping.” **

**A long silence ensued, broken only by the sounds of local wildlife, none of which sounded dangerous.The fire gave the couple the feeling of protection against any potentially harmful creatures.John sat up, displacing the somnolent Silverado, who squeaked, opened one eye and then curled up on the ground.After placing a few broken limbs on the fire, John turned to Maureen.“You remember how I got rid of Mizel’s device?” he asked.**

**“Yes, dear, I do, but that won’t work with these devices,” she said, knowing his desire even without telepathy.She listened and heard him wheezing, indicated that he would need to make a trip to the pond soon.“Mizel’s apparatus was primarily an instrument of pain and control.These bio-adaptation devices are more complex.They actually change certain biological workings in the recipient’s body.Their removal requires the services of a trained medical technician,” she explained.**

**“I knew that, but one could hope.I feel a bit helpless, being tied to the water on a strange world that doesn’t seem to have a great deal of it, at least not in this part anyway.We would be better off without them.” **

**“I know, John,” Maureen said with a sigh.She was beginning to feel the familiar discomfort as well.“This is a very useful tool, but you’re right.We are about as out of place here as a camel in the bayou.”**

**“Plays hell on l’amor, too,” he added, feeling the desires borne of proximity with his wife, but tempered by the distress messages his body was sending him.Sighing lustily, he leaned over and kissed Maureen tenderly.“I’ll be right back.I have a pond to visit,” he murmured.**

**“I do, too.I’ll join you,” she said.“Maggie, watch the fire.”**

**As they carefully walked the short distance to the little pond, Maureen took his hand.“John, I know this is hard on you.I wish I had some way to teleport us back to the kids right now.”**

**He stopped and pulled her close to him, running his hands through her hair, then he bent down and held her crushingly close to his body.Ignored was the discomfort he was beginning to feel; the only thing that was important to him at that moment was Maureen.Her closeness was a comfort, and his fingers, his hands, his lips drank in her physical presence; his mind was filled with her caring, and her love.It was now that he was glad she had come back for him.He needed her; needed her desperately.His desire was an ache in his chest; an ache that had nothing to do with the needs that an alien device imposed on his respiratory system. **

**When they pulled away from each other, they were panting slightly.“Oh, John,” she murmured.Hand in hand they continued to the water, where they replenished their bodies’ needs for oxygen.They swam languidly underwater, enjoying the warmth of the water against their faces.**

**John felt tendrils of Maureen’s playfulness and desire.Unzipping the wet suit and slipping out of it, he swam the short distance to the surface and tossed it on shore.Maureen’s followed quickly.Maureen mentally laughed at the condition of his tee shirt, which had partly sacrificed itself to the making of the fire drill.It followed the suit.The water caressed them, added a new dimension to their pleasure.They swam next to each other; their thoughts entwined, until the moon, which had risen just before the setting of the sun, itself set in the west.Finally they walked out onto the tiny spit of land, their skin raising goose bumps as the chill air wafted around them.**

**Huddled close to each other, they danced over the cold ground back to their campsite and sat close to the fire.As John added more wood, he noted in satisfaction that Maggie had added enough small branches to keep it going during their sojourn in the pond.Cuddled close to Maureen, their underwater suits draped over their bodies, John felt his desires explode like the dry limbs feeding their little fire.**

**‘_Maureen, I love you,’ _he declared and drew her close to him once again.**

**She felt the white-hot passion of his thoughts and the heat of his body as he held her close, then her own passion, her love for him flamed so strongly that she felt tears of joy well up in her eyes.**

**Maggie cheeped softly and hopped over to the fire where Silverado was sleeping, curling up next to his body, her tail entwining around his.He squeaked softly in his exhaustion and laid his head on her neck.**

**___________________**

**The next morning, Maggie raised her head and squeaked pensively.The sun was just peeking up over the horizon and Maureen was still snuggled tightly in the arms of her beloved.The zanling saw the little puffs of their breath and was glad that they had put their suits back on.Shivering slightly, she noticed in gratitude that Silverado had his tail entwined around her neck.Feeling movement, he opened one golden eye.‘_Qurilis called.There are men coming to take us to the home caves,’ _she informed the silver zanling.**

_**‘Yes, I heard as I came out of sleep.But I am worried.’**_

_**‘Yes, I am, too.The journey is longer than they have breath for,’ **_**she told him.‘_Even with the help of those coming.’_**

_**‘It is my fault.I should have taken us all the way to the caves,’ **_**Silverado said bitterly, recrimination heavy in his thoughts._‘This power scares me.John is not well because of us.’_**

**Maggie rubbed her head under his chin to reassure him.‘_Why are you so hard on yourself?John is all right.It is a human thing and not just because of us.And it is impossible to learn everything at once.We must learn a little at a time.You did well bringing us here, saving us from death.’_She paused for a moment before continuing._‘And it must be possible to make the trip or the Gifted One would not have made the request.’_**

_**‘I suppose,’ **_**Silverado tentatively agreed.‘_We will let our bondlings sleep a little longer.’_The two lizards sat basking in the morning sun before flying into the forest for refreshment.Silverado flew stiffly and slowly, but felt better than he had the previous day.An hour later, when the pair returned, he flew over to his friend, who was still asleep.Soon he had positioned himself on John’s chest and was peering into his bondling’s face.‘_John.Wake up.’_**

**The human’s waking was, unlike several weeks ago, pleasant and soothing.Grumbling at the intrusion, but nevertheless obeying it, John immediately found himself looking directly into the golden eyes of his friend.“Well, what’s so important that you have to drag me from the most pleasant dream I’ve had in days,” he complained.**

**‘_Qurilis is sending a group to take us to the home caves.”_**

**“Home caves?Qurilis?” John asked, puzzled, still half asleep.**

_**‘Qurilis is the oldest of all the zanlings.Centuries old.He helped me find the way here,’**_** Silverado explained.‘_I only wish I had been better and taken us all the way to the caves.It will be a hard journey.__'_**

**‘_You saved us, my friend.For that I am grateful.The rest we can overcome.Don’t be so hard on yourself.’_John carefully extricated himself from Maureen’s somnolent embrace and climbed to the top of the rock formation near which they had camped.He looked in the direction Silverado indicated then looked up at the sun.A small cloud of dust in the distance gave an indication of the approach of their escort.Silverado was right, it would be a difficult journey.Looking toward the mid-morning sun, he felt its glare like some alien thing trying to suck out his living breath.‘_Stop it,’_ he admonished himself.Quickly clambering down, he kneeled near Maureen's sleeping form and, bending over, tenderly kissed her on the forehead.**

**Her eyes opened, awareness returned, and reaching up, she pulled him closer to her.“What a wake up call, John,” she finally said.**

**“We’re going to have company in a couple of hours.Want to freshen up in the pond?”**

**“Yes, my love,” she said.She was feeling the familiar heaviness in her chest.Looking up, she saw a pensive look on her husband’s face. “John, I don’t have to be telepathic to sense that you’re troubled.What is it?They aren’t enemies are they?”**

**“Oh, no.They’re friends, an escort from granddaddy zanling, Qurilis.I get the impression from Silverado that he’s the key to getting back to ssMrillorrin and the children,” John explanation.“It’s just that the day is looking to be very hot and the distance to Qurilis’ home caves is long.”**

**“We’ll make it fine,” she said with a determined tone in her voice.“Whatever it takes to get back to the children, I’ll do it.” **

**Seeing the look in her eyes, John had to agree.If willpower had anything to do with it, they would already be back on ssMrillorrin.“I stand corrected, Mrs. Robinson.How could I doubt your resolve?” he asked with a chuckle.As they walked to the pool, he heard his stomach growling, and realized that they had had nothing to eat for at least a full day.Calling to Maggie, he indicated their needs and watched with satisfaction as she zipped off into the small forest on the slope. **  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Thirteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility13.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
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	13. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Thirteen-**

**More Revelations**

** **

**When Brixel arrived at the rendezvous point, he found the Guardian and his beloved swimming in a small pond.After he had watched for a while, he wondered at their ability to hold their breath.He also began understanding Qurilis’ insistence at bringing a change of clothes for the pair as well.Their outer clothes that lay by the side of the pond looked heavy and hot.**

**“Guardian,” he called out when the alien couple had climbed out of the water.“We are from the home caves.” **

**“Yes, I know,” the Guardian answered pleasantly, running his hands through his hair.His beloved stayed close by his side.Her features more closely resembled his own and he wondered if she was of Krilic stock.**

**“I have clothing that will be much more comfortable to travel in.I hope that yours is a decent fit, Guardian,” Brixel said.**

**“Thank you, …”**

**“My apologies.My name is Brixel.I am used to being around Lord Qurilis, he usually knows things like that from my mind…” he paused.“But you can… uh, from my mind, that is…”**

**The Guardian laughed.It was a friendly sound.“Brixel, I do have some small ability in that area, but I don’t pry.And I thank you for the clothing.Fit well or not, they will be much better than these wet suits.I was worried about roasting on our trip,” he commented wryly.“Brixel, there is something you need to know before we begin this trip.”And the Guardian proceeded to explain events of his recent past.The Krimlon was dumfounded and realized the reasoning for Qurilis’ admonition to make all haste.He could only nod to the aliens as they mounted to begin the journey to the home caves.**

**_______________________________**

**The sun was a furnace as it slowly lowered toward the western hill, precluding all conversation and destroying all ambition.They had been traveling for four hours, steadily, silently.Brixel stayed in the front, keeping the pace to an even slow cantor, which was as fast as he dared, for the animals’ sakes.He pulled his wide brimmed hat down further over his eyes.They were only a little more than halfway into the journey and the aliens appeared half-dead, their breathing labored and harsh, their awareness tenuous at best.He looked up at the sun once more and then back to the Guardian, who was now lying across his tilon’s neck, unconscious.He knew that Qurilis had grown weaker as he had grown older, but he would have to help or the Guardian and his beloved would die. **

**‘_Qurilis, if you can hear me.I have done the best I can, but these visitors will not make it.They are suffering badly now and we are only halfway_****,’ Brixel thought in despair.A sudden noise caused him to swing around in the saddle, and he saw the Guardian’s silver zanling sitting up on his bondling’s shoulder, keening stridently, and then the little creatures and their companions were suddenly gone. **

** **

**His Krimlon companions looked puzzled and alarmed, but Brixel just smiled.Qurilis had heard him; he had regained enough of his strength to save the visitors.“Let us ride to that stand of trees over there and rest.The Guardian and his companions are safe.Qurilis transported them to the home caves,” he explained. **

**Nodding in satisfaction, the small group turned to the welcome shade and rested until the sun had slid behind the hills.**

**_________________________________**

**Penny watched the mining operation in open fascination, getting as close to the ssHreana scientists and technicians as she was allowed.They had reached the site where the deposits of breshel lay almost three days ago, and had immediately set up the equipment to extract the life-saving mineral.Even the ssHreana wore protective suits and were very careful around the breshel.**

**During a break in the mining, Penny slowly approached the lip of the small chasm where the breshel had been found.The soft bluish-white crystal seemed to be mated to a harshly glowing reddish jewel.As she gazed at them, the red crystals seemed almost to pulse, entrancing her with their gleam.She was fascinated and wanted to touch them, feel the warmth of the stones.As she reached out her hand, she heard a shrill whistle in her ears, and a hand jerked her back away from the chasm.**

**‘_Penny!You must not touch the crystals_****!’ Murreena admonished her.**

** **

**Penny could feel the abject fear in the ssHreana’s thoughts, and she wondered at the minerals that were being mined to give an alien race life.Confused, she said as much to her companion.******

**‘_Penny, the breshel does give life, especially in it’s refined form.It is the other, the flame crystals, which are so dangerous_.’**

**_‘_****_You mean the red ones?__What do they do_?’**

** **

**‘****_I do not know exactly what they do.We think that they draw those of telepathic ability to them and then when handled do something to the holder’s mind.Because the flame crystals are so dangerous, we have only been able to do limited research on them_,’ Murreena tried to explain.She gazed into the human girl’s eyes._‘Penny, the only ssMrillorrin who have dared to handle them, died painful deaths.We kept the location of this breshel and flame crystal deposit, the only one on our planet, a secret.Or at least we tried to.Apparently someone knew about it and told the Qolon.And they were desperate enough to agree to a partnership with the Zrilon to mine it.If they had come to us directly instead of trusting the Zrilon to get it for them, we could have tried to get enough breshel to meet their needs.I know that the Qolon really do need just the breshel.It is the catalyst in the cure for the wasting disease that is devastating their people.However, I suspect that the Zrilon wanted the flame crystals.It is rumored that the crystals also enhance computerized weapons systems exponentially, giving whatever weapons they are connected with tremendous power._’**

**‘_I didn’t know.Thanks for saving me, Murreena_****,’ Penny told the ssHreana woman. **

** **

**‘_Saving you from what_****?’ a familiar ‘voice’ said in her mind.**

**‘_Those red crystals.They’re so dangerous that the ssHreana haven’t even been able to experiment with them to find out all they can do_,’**** Penny told Will.‘_You never did tell me what you found out from the Robot_.’Penny noticed Murreena listening raptly. **

**‘_Pretty much what you had already figured out, although the Robot’s deductive reasoning was limited in this case_,’**** Will explained with a laugh.‘_He doesn’t like intuitive reasoning.Oh, he and Max said they miss all of us.I really think they’re lonely._’**

** **

**‘_Hopefully, Mom and Dad will be back soon and we’ll leave for Alpha Centauri_,’**** Penny said thoughtfully.As much as she loved ssMrillorrin, she was now eager to get to their real destination.Will indicated his agreement.**

**Don watched the little scene and listened to Murreena’s explanation.Something was bothering him and he couldn’t put his finger on it.Swimming closer to Murreena, he ventured a question,**** ‘_Is this the only deposit of these flame crystals, Murreena_?’**

** **

**‘_On our planet, yes, and in all the known galaxy these are the purest specimens and as such are the most powerful,_’**** she explained.They both watched the miners return with their equipment.The technicians programmed their machinery and began the last phase of the delicate operation.As it had been explained to him, the last of the breshel would be extracted by the evening meal.It had taken three days to mine the precious mineral, but the Qolon would finally have what they needed to prepare the mass anti-toxins for their people.**

**‘****_What will happen to the flame crystals that are left behind_?’ he asked.**

** **

**‘Th_is valley will be filled in_,’ ****Murreena answered.‘_These crystals are feared greatly by my people, Major West.We will keep one or two to study and experiment on_.’**

** **

**‘_Murreena, I am getting the impression that you consider these crystals as something evil.How can a mineral be evil_?’**

**‘M_ajor_…’**

**‘****_Don, please_,’ he admonished her.In the little bubble tied to his waist, Jimmy Doolittle cheeped pleasantly.**

** **

**‘****_Don, mainly our perceptions are from old writings, but there are enough recent occurrences of the curious coming to test the old stories, that we have a very healthy respect for them.They seem to increase the power of whatever they are applied to, a hundred-fold.If the crystals are applied to a weapon system, that weapon has the potential of becoming so powerful that it can’t be destroyed.I have also heard of species that use them to enhance mutations_,’ Murreena explained.**

**Don looked at the glowing rocks and understood the ssHreana’s fears.The thought of confronting a weapon system that couldn’t be defeated scare the hell out of him.He shuddered, imagining a race such as the Graxod with such power.**

**As the last of the breshel was being carried away for the Qolon envoy, Don turned to Murreena, realizing what had been nagging him the past few days... the Zrilon.****‘_You said that you suspected the Zrilon of wanting the flame crystals.Where have they gone?Has the Confederation been notified and have they taken action?_’**

** **

**‘_The Zrilon left the system without argument.The Confederation was given a report of the incident, but since they didn’t actually steal anything, the only thing that is being done was to send a reprimand to the Zrilon head of government, along with a notice of order of reparations for the damage they caused_.’**

**‘****_Ohmigosh, the Robot asked me to ask you if you have a probe at the edge of your solar system.I totally forgot_,’ Will said, his thoughts full of embarrassment.**

**‘_Will, we have no such probes.Did your robot speculate on this probe’s origin_?’******

** **

**‘_No, Murreena, he didn’t_,’ ****Will said sheepishly.‘_But he was suspicious of the Zrilon’s motives_.’**

** **

**Murreena had the distracted look of someone listening to another conversation.Then she turned to the humans, fear palpable on her face.****‘_The probe must have been Zrilon.There are two ships moving rapidly toward our planet and they are identified as Zrilon ships.All communications are blocked.We cannot send out a distress signal to the Confederation_.’**

****

** ==========================**

**Qurilis appeared to be sleeping deeply, but when the Krimlon attendant came into his chambers with the silver zanling riding languidly on his shoulder, his golden eyes opened and stared about him.******

**‘_Is the Guardian and his beloved comfortable?’ _he asked.The Krimlon nodded.‘_Good.Bring the prince close and then you may leave,’ _he instructed.After the humanoid had left, Qurilis called softly, ‘_Little one.Koreelis.There is much we must talk about.’_**

**Silverado raised his head squeaking softly in indignation.‘_I am Silverado.That is the name my bondling gave me when I was yet in the first stage.It is my name.’_He gazed defiantly at the large golden zanling that was more than ten times his size.**

_**‘You wish to be called after a human entertainment?’**_

_**‘That is the name my friend, John, gave me.He did not give it to me in derision, he gave it to me because it represented qualities he liked in that entertainment.Qualities he felt I had,’ **_**Silverado explained.‘_If the truth be known, Lord Qurilis, it is also the name of an Earth vehicle, but that is not what John had in mind when he called me Silverado.’_**

_**‘Very well, Silverado, but realize that Koreelis is as much a designation as a name.Every zanling ruler has had that name/designation,’ **_**Qurilistold the smaller zanling. **

** **

**Silverado squeaked imperiously and cocked his head to one side.‘_Then why isn’t that your name?’_**

_**‘I am not the proper ruler.I am only, what could best be termed, a regent.Only the silver zanlings are the lord rulers of the zinorel gifted.’**_

_**‘I am not ready to be ruler.I am too young,’ **_**Silverado protested, shivering. **

** **

**Qurilis raised his head, opening his eyes a bit wider.‘_Perhaps, little one.But the galaxy’s timetable and our own seldom match.Circumstances are dictating our choices for us.I will speak with your bondling.He is strong and can help you through your growth.’_**

_**‘He has been sick.Caused by our bonding.’**_

_**‘Your facts are not quite correct, Silverado.Perhaps the bonding created some situations that caused pain and suffering for the bondlings, but I doubt John Robinson would change the past for a short while of peace and mental comfort.And I believe that he is much healthier than you think he is.His beloved has helped greatly in that regard.’**_**Qurilis gazed intently at his smaller counterpart.‘_It worries you that becoming ruler will cause a separation from your bondling.’_**

****

_**‘Yes, Lord Qurilis.In my first stage I might have briefly been like a pet to him, but that quickly changed to friend.Now it is more like what the humans call brother.’**_

_**‘Do not call me Lord.Qurilis is fine.Right now we are equals, but in the long term, you are my ruler, not the other way around,’ **_**the golden zanling explained.‘_Once you have gained the ruler’s power, you can divide your time.You will still have contact with your bondling.’_**

****

_**‘You mean I will be able to teleport between here and where ever John is?’**_

_**‘Yes.’**_

_**‘Will I grow as large as you?’ **_

**Qurilis raised his head and blinked in surprise.‘_Such a question!’_The large zanling sent bright laughter into the smaller one’s mind.But deep down he was worried.Silverado was right.He was very young, having been forced to learn and grow more quickly than he should have.Being John Robinson’s eyes had compelled his graduation from his innocent first stage several revolutions before he should have, and the forced teleportation and events on ssMrillorrin were quickly forcing him to the dangerous third stage before he had time to understand all of the changes going on in his mind and body.But there was no alternative.The flame crystals had been found, and those who would use them for conquest and lustful power would soon take them. **

**‘_No, my size was a result of the use of Spilan kenno flame crystals from the Spiloris star system.Those are gone.Your size will not count, it will be your compassion and intellect that will be most important.You will have need of the ssMrillorrin keno flame crystals, but not to grow bigger.’_**

_**‘Then why?’**_

_**‘To enhance and increase your telepathic powers….Silverado, those aliens who forced you to teleport here are intending to use one of that galaxy’s last remaining deposits of kenno flame crystals to build their weaponry.Such weaponry would be unstoppable.They would be able to use those weapons to subdue all intelligent life forms in that galaxy and any other they traveled to.And the crystals will allow them to travel to other galaxies like this one, where they will do the same thing over and over again.’**_

_**‘But I am too little!’ **_**Silverado repeated.‘_I can’t do it!’_He flapped his wings in his agitation.**

** **

**‘_You were too little to save your friend, John and his home planet, but you did it anyway,’_ Qurilis reminded the little zanling. **

**‘_I just became his eyes.He did the rest.This is different,’ _Silverado protested, his thoughts confused and full of fear.Suddenly he felt a soothing current of pleasant, reassuring feelings from the older zanling, and he quieted down.‘_Qurilis, I will try, but I am frightened.This is hard.’_**

_**‘That is why I will train your bondling to be a closer, more symbiotic partner to you and not just your, as you put it, brother.But it will not actually occur until you have gained the use of a crystal.’**_**And the older zanling began the difficult task of teaching the adolescent what he needed to know.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Fourteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility14.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fiction](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
**[Main Page](http://www.bookscape.net/index.htm)**


	14. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_** Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Fourteen-**

**Powers of the Mind**

**Maureen woke slowly, breathing deeply, feeling the warm, oxygen enriched water slide into her lungs.Opening her eyes, she saw John floating nearby, apparently still asleep.There was no sign of either Maggie or Silverado.She started swimming in John’s direction, but not wanting to disturb him, she turned to swim to the side of the tranquil pool.Suddenly a hand clamped itself around her ankle pulling her down.Turning, she looked into the mischievous eyes of her husband.John pulled her to him and looked deeply into her eyes before drawing her into a gentle embrace.**

**‘_Thank you.’_**

_**‘What for, dear?’ **_**she asked, puzzled.John’s thoughts were bright and cheerful, almost boyish.She smiled, catching his infectious good-humor. **

** **

_**‘I thank you for putting up with me during these past few weeks.’**_**He said.His finger traced the line of her jaw and then softly caressed her lips.The water caused her normally neatly coifed hair to float free; forming what he felt was a reddish-gold halo.Leaning closer, he kissed her tenderly.‘_And for helping me get over this.__'_**

_**‘John, I didn’t really…’**_

_**‘Don’t argue with me, Mrs. Robinson.You have stuck by me for over twenty years.End of discussion,’ **_**he interrupted playfully, not wanting to return to the events of the past._‘We are safe, and Silverado is in conference with Qurilis.We have some time for serious play.’_**

****

_**‘John!You are getting to be a regular beach bum.We did a great deal of that on ssMrillorrin.’**_

_**‘Not really.I was a bit anti-social and when we were together, I clung to you more than enjoyed your presence.The play was not…I don’t even know how to explain it, Maureen.Now I feel happy.Despite being separated from the kids, despite having a bio-adaptive device attached to my skull, despite all that, I feel a kind of peace.’**_**John pulled her to him again, this time for a fierce embrace, an embrace that expressed his love, his gratitude, his feeling of liberation from the nightmare weeks of the recent past.**

**They swam casually through the little pool, noticing that it was part of an underground grotto, very similar to that which he had been to several months earlier during the rescue of Murreena and her people.He wondered if this was just another part of the Greel Mountains.But he dismissed the thought totally when they found a dimly lit shelf of sparkling sand and Maureen playfully pulled him ashore. **

**_________________________**

**Don ground his teeth in frustration.Any weapons they had were on the Jupiter II, totally inaccessible.Or were they?Grabbing Will’s sleeve, he pointed toward the underwater scooters.‘_Will, we’re going to the Jupiter II.I’ll need your help.’_**

**Jimmy Doolittle squeaked loudly in his bubble.Nova swam over, and easing his way through the membranous material, joined his friend.**

** **

**‘_Weapons?’_**

**Keeping his thoughts closed, Don just nodded.They reached the scooters.‘_Penny?’_ he called out.**

**‘_Yes, Don?’_**

_**‘I want you to return to the Mirin Homeplace and wait there.’**_

_**‘Do you think those ships are dangerous, Don?’ **_**she asked. **

** **

**Reaching down and activating the underwater scooter, Don answered, ‘_Yes, I do.Go now, Penny.I think Judy is already there.’_He consulted with Jimmy.‘_Yes, she’s there with Mark.Tell her to stay there.It will be safer.’_**

_**‘Where are you and Will going?’**_

_**‘To try and round up some help,’ **_**he answered cryptically.Soon they arrived at the upper shelf near the island where the Space Pod rested and parked the scooters.Wading out of the reef, they sprinted to the Pod.Don brought the systems online even as Will was closing the airlock door.Activating the repulsors, Don gently lifted the small craft into the atmosphere.“Hang on, Will, I’m going into full ignition.”Both felt the increase in gravity and let their bodies relax into the cushioned seats.**

** **

**“Robot, we’re coming on board,” Will called over the communicator, quickly receiving an acknowledgement.**

**“Will Robinson, I have identified the incoming ships,” the Robot intoned.**

**“So have I, Robot.We’ll talk about it when we’re onboard,” Don called over his shoulder tersely, not really wanting to discuss that on a communications band that could be picked up by anybody, including the Zrilon.**

**“Acknowledged, Major West.”**

**Soon they were on board the Jupiter.“Will, don’t deactivate the pod.We’ll be returning as soon as we raid the weapons locker.”**

**“Right, Don,” the boy answered, feeling the tension of the moment.**

**As Don pulled laser rifles and pistols from the cabinet, he heard the soft metallic tread of Max approaching from behind him.“May I help, sir?”**

**“Yes, Max, take these to the Space Pod,” Don answered.**

**“I believe that these will be ineffectual, sir.”**

**“Maybe, but do it anyway,” Don growled.**

**“I was not being critical, sir.I agree that some sort of protection must be afforded to your family.I was just being pragmatic, based on the information I have learned about the Zrilon,” Max explained. **

**“I understand, Max, and if you have any suggestions, I would certainly welcome them right now.” **

**“None, Major.This ship is not equipped with weaponry, nor are the ssMrillorrin peoples.The Zrilon planned well, and they are determined.I wish that I had a solution, because this is a very dangerous situation.Every bit as dangerous as the Graxod invasion.”Max carried the weapons off. **

**Don took a moment to ponder the martial arts robot’s words.This **was** a dangerous situation, and the implication of Zrilon possession of the powerful crystals was not lost on him.But there was nothing else he could think of to solve the problem, he thought in frustration.Dashing to the stairwell, he quickly climbed up to the observation deck.“Robot, give me a status report on those two ships.” **

**“The Zrilon vessels are in high orbit now…” His report was interrupted by the activation of the communications signal.**

**“Unidentified space craft.Acknowledge or be summarily destroyed.”**

**Sighing, Don reached for the communicator.“This is the Jupiter II.We are a scientific exploratory vessel.Who are you?”**

**“This is Commander Lloris, leader of the Zrilon expeditionary force.Our sensors indicate that your ship has limited armaments.You will remain on board your vessel until our ships have left orbit and you will make no attempt to attack our ships or communicate with anyone.To do so will result in immediate annihilation.Do you understand, Jupiter II?” **

**“Perfectly, Commander.”Don snapped off the communications controls and turned to see Will staring at the screen showing the view from the port side of the ship.His eyes were large. The Zrilon vessels loomed huge and menacing, their bays disgorging numerous smaller landing craft.**

**“Don, what are we going to do?” **

**“Not much of anything, Will.There’s nothing we can do right now.Damn.They’re going to waltz down there, get those crystals and then dance around the galaxy doing what they please, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”Don slammed his fist down on the console.**

**“We can’t get back to the water either,” Will pointed out. **

**Don groaned and ran his hand through his almost dry hair.“Will, tell me something depressing.I’m really in a happy mood right now,” he said morosely.**

**_________________________________**

**Maureen left John napping and went for a quick swim.When she glided back to him, she discovered him still asleep.She kissed him tenderly and found her husband unresponsive.Alarmed, she took his hand.His heart rate was good, but it was as though he was unable to wake up.Maureen tried a to reach him telepathically, but found herself unable to contact him that way either.Fear began to find hold in her heart.Maggie swam up beside her and gazed at the professor with golden eyes.‘_John is in mind to mind discussion with Qurilis,’ _the lizard explained.**

****

**‘_Mind to mind discussion?’ _Maureen asked.‘_What do you mean?’_**

_**** _

_**‘His body is here, but the rest of him is linked with Qurilis.’ **_

**Maureen pondered her friend’s cryptic words while gazing at John.It sounded very much like an out of body experience, but she couldn’t help but wonder what was so important that Qurilis had to consult with John in such a manner. **

**___________________________________**

**‘_What is going on?’ _John queried.He had been lounging near the pool one minute, and felt himself floating away from his body another.Now he seemed to be in the audience of a zanling the size of a small pony.**

**‘_I am old and there is little time.This was the quickest way to teach you,’ _the golden zanling told him.‘_In fact, I believe there may not be time enough for a full teaching, but we will do our best.’_**

_ _

_**‘What do you mean we?’ **_**John asked.He began wondering what was so important that it would cause this zanling to intrude on his privacy. **

**Qurilis ignored the question.‘_You will need to form the same kind of bond with your bondling as I have formed with you right now_,’ the zanling said_._**

_ _

_**‘What?Same bond?How and why?And may I assume that you are Qurilis**_**?’ John asked in rapid succession, puzzled.**

_ _

_**‘John Robinson, this is more important than me, than Silverado, than you.It is something that has to be done to save your galaxy and, perhaps other galaxies as well.Look, and watch my memories as I try to explain.Then you will see the importance of what must be done; of what I am asking of you and your bondling**_**.’**

**Mollified, John acquiesced and watched a history of the zanlings and their fellow ‘gifted.’_‘John, I will not explain the entire Krilic history, nor that of the gifted, only the part that the flame crystals played.Long ago, some of the gifted used the crystals to enhance their telepathic powers.For some, it had other benefits as well.For my race, the zanlings, it made us physically larger, along with enhancing our power of teleportation, bonding and symbiosis.But there were some of the gifted that could not use the crystals.’_**

****

**John felt the zanling years and events flow in rhythms of fast and slow._‘The benefits sometimes varied due to the slight differences in formations of the kenno flame crystals.Some of the flame crystals are much more pure and consequently, more powerful than others.These crystals are very selective and can only be used by certain groups of the gifted.Then there are the crystals that are the most pure.They can only be safely be used by our people.Up until now, there has never been a truly pure specimen of the crystals.’_**

**‘_The crystals on ssMrillorrin_,’ John interjected_. _**

_**** _

**‘_Yes, they are as pure as any that have been discovered.They had been kept a secret for several centuries, but now…’_**

_**‘Now there is the danger of an ambitious race acquiring them and using them for conquest.I met the race, Zrilons, I believe they’re called**_**,’ John finished for the zanling.__**

_ _

_**‘Yes, and Silverado, with your help, will have to destroy the crystals**_**,’ Qurilis said. **

**‘_Silverado is too young_,’ John said simply, having seen from Qurilis’ thoughts just what this destruction entailed.Silverado was his bondling and the professor felt the conviction of his statement strongly, assuming that the silver zanling was in state of growth equivalent to adolescence_._**

_ _

_**‘John, I realize he is too young, but there is no other.And that is why you must be ready to bond symbiotically, to help him cope and deal with this**_**,’ Qurilis stated_._‘_I have already had several teaching sessions with him and he is fearful, but as ready as I can make him.Now it is up to you to learn how to help him.’_**

_**‘I still don’t like it.This would be like making my younger daughter or son take up one of these crystals and use it for destruction and possibly death….’ **_**He paused and pondered._‘But I will do my best, if this is the only way_,’ John finally said in resignation.__**

_**** _

_**‘I see your fears and concerns, especially those dealing with the individuals to whom you are close.I am afraid that this is the only way.Silverado has to do this,**_**’ Qurilis said._‘And by the way, John, his real designation is Koreelis, but he insisted that he was to be called by the name you gave him.’_**

_ _

**John’s fleeting tendril of amusement was instantly felt by Qurilis, as were the feelings of doubt and fear for his bondling.The old zanling really wished there were some other way. **

_**** _

**‘_I would go myself, but I am too old and weak.I was unable to help Silverado bring you all the way here.It drained me to teleport you to the caves, and what little strength I have left, I must save to send you back to ssMrillorrin.’_ Qurilis paused and felt John slowly come to a resignation of the inevitable.He continued, _‘Feel, listen, entwine yourself into my thoughts, my feelings, the teachings.Immerse yourself in the task ahead, in the support of your bondling….’_**

_**** _  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Fifteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility15.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fiction](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
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	15. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
#  **Chapter Fifteen**

**Controlling the Tiger Within**

**After many hours of worry, wonder and solitude, Maureen felt John stirring and she took his hand.His thoughts were confused, full of emotion, and full of tension.She sent him soothing mental images; let him feel her presence in is mind, her feelings of love for him.His confusion eased, his thoughts seemed calmer and clearer.Slowly John opened his eyes and gazed at her, taking in every feature as though he wanted to imprint her entirety into his mind.“When we go back, Silverado has to use a crystal to enhance his telepathic powers and destroy the other crystals before the Zrilon can utilize them.”He looked down at her hand, which was still caressing his own and curled his fingers around hers.**

_**** _

**“You’re troubled, John.Don’t you think Silverado can do it?”**

****

**“Yes, he can probably do it.I’m just worried about the effect it will have on him.He is still only in the second stage of development, something akin to adolescence.That kind of pressure shouldn’t be laid at a child’s feet.”**

**“I know, dear, but the bond that you two share will get him through this,” she reassured him.**

_ _

**They swam to the edge of the lake and walked onto the bank.Pulling Maureen closer to him, he murmured, “You are usually right about these things, darling, so I will trust you on this, too.”**

**Suddenly Silverado was hovering in front of him, his gossamer wings beating fiercely, his eyes bright with anxiety._‘It has happened, John.The Zrilon have invaded ssMrillorrin and taken the crystals.Qurilis says that we must return now.’_**

**______________________**

**“Do not resist and we will allow you to live,” the Zrilon translator intoned.Every inch of Murwon’s body indicated a barely bridled tension.Judy floated near Murreena, who had placed her hand on her lifemate’s arm, trying to calm him.The Zrilon undersea transports had arrived with amazing speed, a speed that precluded setting a charge to destroy the mining site.Now it was too late.**

_**‘You do not understand**_**,’ Murwon said, his thoughts almost pleading._‘You are dealing with something very dangerous, too dangerous for any one race to try to control.’_**

**“Yes, it is dangerous,” Kurilis smirked.“Dangerous for anyone who dares to defy our soldiers, our race.And make no mistake, we will control it.”**

_**** _

**‘_Please, let us talk about it, let us reason together,_’ Murwon pleaded, pulling away from Murreena and slowly approaching the Zrilon leader, his hand out, and his eyes begging.**

_ _

**Kurilis swung a foreclaw up and fired a quick blast from his laser pistol at Murwon.A sharp mental cry from the injured ssHreana was cut off.Another cry of anguish sounded from Murreena, who swam to her husband and pulled him close to her.Kurilis aimed once more.**

_ _

_**‘Please, don’t shoot.She is only trying to aide her lifemate.Let her take him to their homeplace,**_**’ Judy begged, anguished at the horrible scene in front of her.A small wound in Murwon’s chest seeped fluid.Murreena tried unsuccessfully to stop the flow.__**

_ _

**“Get him out of here, but no one else interfere or I might be forced to be more violent.Everyone leave the area, now! But be aware, our orbiting ships are capable of firing weapons that can reach your homeplaces, if you try to do anything to stop us, or if you try to call for help,” Kurilis said harshly before turning away to the mining site.**

**Judy swam over to Murreena and Murwon, helping to carry the injured man to safety.As soon as they were far enough away from the invaders, Judy started up a four-passenger scooter and helped Murreena get Murwon on board.The trip to the home place hospital was quick, but as she watched the wounded ssHreana man, she felt it would never end.**

**As the ssHreana doctors worked desperately to save Murwon, she stayed close by Murreena, trying her best to comfort her friend, but feeling inadequate at the same time.__**

_**‘He is very gravely injured, but we will continue to administer to him.We cannot tell if he will make it or not, though**_**,’ a doctor finally reported to the two women.**

_ _

_**‘He will make it Murreena.I’m sure of it,**_**’ Judy reassured Murreena after the doctor had left_._**

_ _

_**‘If it is so willed, Judy,**_**’ the ssHreana woman murmured._‘But I thank you for your sentiments. Let me stay with him, you go and tend to your little one.I sense his needs.’_Judy nodded and left the hospital, swimming toward the main meeting hall where Penny and Mark were waiting. __**

**As Judy took Mark from Penny, several ssHreana arrived from the mining site to report the departure of the Zrilon expeditionary force.The atmosphere was subdued, but there were no communications, since there was nothing that could be said.Then to the absolute shock of everyone in the undersea habitation, John, Maureen and their zanlings suddenly appeared before them.**

**‘_Mom!Dad!You’re back!You’re safe!_’ Judy and Penny said almost simultaneously.Then they grabbed their parents in fierce hugs.Mark squealed with delight, as he was pressed close between his mother and his grandparents.**

_**‘Where’s Will and Don?’ **_**John asked.**

_ _

_**‘They went up to the Jupiter II to get something to try and defend us, but we assume that they were held there by the Zrilon.We should be hearing from them soon,’ **_**Judy said.**

_ _

_**‘We must get to the mining site**_**,’ Silverado interjected, but the look in his golden eyes gave indication that he already knew the truth.**

_ _

**One of the ssHreana shook his head._‘The Zrilon have gone and they have taken all of the kenno crystals with them.__They just left orbit and are traveling out of our solar system,’_ the ssHreana told the zanling.__**

_ _

_**‘I cannot do what must be done.I have failed!’**_** Silverado moaned.**

_ _

_**‘What is it you had to do?’**_** Judy asked.Mark was playing with a floating strand of his mother’s hair, seemingly oblivious to the tension around him.**

_ _

_**‘He had to use one of the crystals to enhance his telepathic abilities and destroy the rest of them,’ **_**John answered for the lizard.**

_ _

_**‘But there is a crystal left.We sealed two in a protective casing to study after the rest had been buried.It is in a safety vault,’ **_**a ssHreana told the group.__**

_**‘Must get one, now!’**_** Silverado ordered.Soon the tiny box was set on a bench and carefully opened.It showed reddish white in its cushioned container, almost pulsing.Silverado swam over to it, John following closely.Penny watched, holding her breath.The flutter-dragon reached out, and fastened his small hands around the crystal.**

**Instantly waves of heat/pain flowed through John’s mind. _‘Silverado.Calm down,_’ John told him, trying to send soothing messages to his bondling’s mind, which churned with pain, fear and confusion.**

**‘_Can’t.Won’t let me use it,_’ Silverado wailed, his emotions raging.John tried to delve into the little lizard’s mind and saw that he was right.And he was able to understand why the zanling couldn’t bond with the kenno crystal.Silverado was too immature physically to accept the crystal, his brain was not developed enough to make the synaptic connections.**

_**** _

_**‘Silverado, let go of it.You are not able to make the link.Your body is not mature enough.You will hurt yourself if you keep trying.Let go,**_**’ John coaxed.Finally, with a cry of despair, Silverado opened his hands and let the kenno crystal drop.John caught it as it sank to the ocean floor.Suddenly he experienced a cool, tingling sensation, flowing all through his body, then a feeling as though his right hand had suddenly turned to putty.Looking down, he stretched out his fingers and watched in fascination and horror as the crystal finished absorbing into his body. **

**It was like the calm before a cataclysmic storm.There was no movement except for that of an occasional fish swimming near the periphery of the group.None of the humanoids moved, all seemed rooted in shock, staring at John, who was still gaping at his hand.The tingling continued to course through his body.**

**‘_John?’ _came Maureen’s tentative questing thought, then….**

**‘**_FAILED…MURWON, DON’T DIE…ZRILONS WON…_****

**_ZRILONS…. _**

**_WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?WHAT CAN WE DO? _**

**_CURSED _**

**_ZRILONS!THEIR BONES ROT IN BRISHLEF!_**

**_CAN DO NOTHING…__NOTHING…._**

****

**_WE CAN DO NOTHING BUT SWIM IDLY AND WAIT… _**

**_WAIT FOR THEM TO COME BACK TO _**

**_DESTROY _**

**_US ALL…. _**

**_TO MAKE US SLAVES_**

**_ _**

**_ANGER, _**

**_DESPAIR, _**

**_FAILURE…._**

**_FEAR, __FEAR, FEAR!’_**

**_FEAR!_**

**_ _**

**John tried desperately to shield out the cacophony; the hurricane of emotions, telepathic communications and private thoughts, but it was like stopping a tidal wave with a teaspoon.He felt himself being carried along in a tsunami, a wave every bit as real as the one that almost destroyed the Jupiter II.He couldn't erect a shield, couldn’t keep out the unwanted mental baggage, couldn’t think…couldn’t reason. **

**He felt battered, beaten, like a prisoner being sent through a gauntlet; each emotion, each communication a stick beating at his mind, torturing him, and the more he tried to retreat, the harder the ‘sticks’ seemed to beat on him.**

**‘_Go away,’ _he moaned softly to himself.‘_Leave me alone…please.’_Memories came unbidden.He was suddenly in a schoolyard where he was taunted because his generic jeans had a hole in them.In the gym where coach was telling him to go back to his books, he was too awkward to ever be a good football player.On the field where his father showed his disappointment when he didn’t do his best, his expression of his unconditional love causing more guilt than the words had, and his mother’s gentle admonitions.Home… a place of refuge, a place of peace, a place….**

**‘_John.JOHN!’_**

_ _

**Home, peaceful, restful quiet home…****A sudden lurching feeling in his stomach paralleled a shutting off of the chaos battering him.And then as he began to breathe a mental sigh of relief, the barrage hit him again, even harder than before.**

**Vaguely, John realized he was breathing air and not water, and he slowly opened his eyes to see his father and sister, Roberta, staring at him in wide-eyed shock.He had brought himself home—home to earth.Even here, the waves of mental and emotional turmoil kept beating at him, relentlessly.He felt he must be feeling and hearing everyone’s thoughts in a hundred-mile radius.Illogically, he covered his ears with his hands, stumbling backward until a credenza stopped him.Remotely, he was aware of the water pooling beneath him.**

**“Johnny!Oh, good Lord, what’s wrong?John?” he heard his father cry out.**

**His knees buckled and he slid to the thick carpet, where he lay moaning softly.Caring arms surrounded him, but he was unable to respond.‘_Shield, got to shield!Oh, God, help me stop this!’_He felt Roberta’s and his father’s concern in a small niche of the thousands of voices clamoring for attention, but he couldn’t focus on them.‘_Focus.Focus.FOCUS!’_But instead of clarity and concentration, John felt himself slip from consciousness, the blackness of oblivion his one great solace.**

**“Roberta, can you tell what’s wrong?Is he…?” Frank Robinson asked.**

**“No, Dad, he’s alive, although his heart seems to be racing.His breathing is very shallow, and… what the heck is this?” Roberta’s fingers hovered over the hard shape of the bio-adaptive device.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Sixteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility16.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fiction](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
**[Main Page](http://www.bookscape.net/index.htm)**


	16. Planet of Tranquility

**  
**

**John came back to consciousness to find himself floating above his father, looking down at his body lying prone on the couch.He realized that he had accomplished somewhat the same thing that Qurilis had when they had talked in the mountain caves.He had done it on his own and without conscious thought.‘_What kind of power do I have within me to be able to do this?’ _he asked himself.Then the professor understood the implications of being in his father’s home on Earth.He had teleported himself here as well.**

**  
**

**“I’ll call an ambulance,” Frank said, the concern heavy in his thoughts as well as in his voice.**

**  
**

**John felt surprise with the ease at which he ‘heard’ his father and sister’s thoughts.Alarmed, John decided he might as well see if he could communicate in this state.It had worked with Qurilis.‘_No, Dad, don’t.’_**

** **

** _  
_ **

**“Did you say something, Roberta?”**

**  
**

**“No, Dad, I didn’t, I was going to ask you the same thing,” Roberta said, puzzled.**

**  
**

**‘_Dad, it’s me, John.Don’t call an ambulance.I have gone through an unusual experience and it overwhelmed me.My physical body was unable to handle it and I went into shock.’_John watched his father for a moment to see if he was ‘hearing’ him.**

**  
**

**“John?” he asked, continually looking down at the recumbent body on the floor.**

**  
**

**‘_Yes, Dad.The closest thing I can compare this to is an out of body experience.’_**

** **

** _  
_ **

**“I’ll be…**

**  
**

_ **‘My problem, though, is that I have to get control of what is causing all this, or I can’t return to the family, and can’t do what I need to do.’** _

_ _

_ **  
** _

**“Would someone tell me what’s going on?” Roberta said as she pushed a pillow under John’s head.**

**  
**

**‘_Sorry, Ro, I started ‘talking’ to Dad and forgot to include you.’_He repeated his comments to his sister.**

**  
** _ ****  
_

**“John, what can we do to help?” Frank asked, concerned at what John was not telling him.**

**  
**

**‘_Dad, it is too complicated to tell you the whole story,’_ John said, reading his father’s thoughts._‘Suffice it to say that I have absorbed an alien element that enhances telepathic powers.Unfortunately, all of the mental messages that I began receiving became overwhelming.I have to learn to block that out,’ _John explained, including Roberta as well. **

**  
**

**“You mean that thing on your head?” Roberta asked.**

**  
**

_ **‘No, that is a device that allows me to breathe underwater.We were visiting a water planet.A supposedly tranquil and peaceful water planet,’ ** _ ** John answered, his touch of wry sarcasm bringing a smile to his sister’s lips. **

**  
**   


**“That’s why your breathing seemed a little off,” Roberta murmured.**

**  
**

**“Too bad you don’t have Maureen here.You keep saying she has always been your focus,” Frank commented.**

**  
**

**John didn’t respond right away; he was pondering his father’s statement.‘_Dad, I think you may have hit on something, but I will have to be ‘in my body’ to bring Maureen here.Let me try.It will help, I think, if you attempt to keep your emotions under control.’_With trepidation, John re-entered his body, all the while trying to build a shield to barricade himself from the world as he concentrated on bringing Maureen to him.He was only partially successful. While focusing on finding Maureen, he found himself shifting, going through the nothingness of teleportation.John realized that he was going to get her and not just summon her.**

**  
**

**  
**

**========================**

**  
**

**  
**

**“Don, we won’t be able to get back down to the planet before we die of oxygen deprivation,” Will said morosely.**

**  
**

**The boy’s words brought the pilot out of the self-pity that watching the Zrilon ships had imposed upon him.It was unusual for Will not to take a problem like that and figure it out for himself.Of course, Don was so disgusted with himself for getting themselves in such a predicament that he wasn’t able to come up with any solutions, either.“We’ll figure something out, Will.”**

**  
**

**“May I suggest that you adapt the shower to accommodate your needs,” Max said from behind them.“It was fitted for use in zero gravity so it can be a totally water tight enclosure.”**

**  
** ****

**“Yes, excellent idea, Max.You’re a genius.We might as well get to work on it, since we can’t seem to do anything else,” Don said, turning toward their living quarters.Just as he was beginning to feel a tightness in his chest, they finished the modifications.“Will, you try it out first.”**

**  
**

**While waiting for the cubicle to fill up with water, Don turned to the Robot, who had helped in the modifications.“Now, if we could only figure out as easy a solution to calling for outside help.Any ideas?” **

**  
** ****

**“That is not an idea that even needs to be considered, Major West.I sent a distress call just after the Zrilon ships reentered this system.I had studied all of the data and was 97% sure of their intentions.I felt it was better to offer explanations later if I was wrong than to wait for 100% confirmation.I sent the communication to the Galactic Confederation headquarters and received a confirmation.”**

**  
**

**Don just stared at the automaton for a minute before responding.“I’d kiss you if it wasn’t unseemly.Wonderful work, Robot!Maybe they can get some ships here before these jokers make it to their home solar system.” **

**  
**

**  
**

**=============================**

**  
**

**  
**

**Mril mur Prowlith Arocorlin gazed at the communiqué in shock.“You said that this came from the Jupiter II?Commander Robinson’s ship?” she asked the very young aide standing near her desk.The aide answered in the affirmative.“Well, I am beginning to think that if there is anything cataclysmic going on in the universe, then Commander Robinson will be involved in it.”**

**  
**

**The aide was still standing stiffly, as though at attention, after Prowlith had read and reread the message.“Your decision on the matter, ma’am?” the aide asked after a polite interval. **

**  
**

**Looking up, she nodded.“I may have sharp teeth, but I will not eat you, cub.Relax a bit; you make my back ache watching you stand like that.Is Commander Llriloris’ cruiser still in the system?”**

**  
**

**“Yes, ma’am, they just finished leaving dry dock for a quick systems’ check.Shall I contact him?” **

**  
**

**“Yes, and tell him that this could be a dangerous assignment; his troops should be in complete readiness.I also am authorizing him to pull into service any available and ready vessel.I think we’ll need as much presence as possible.Also tell him I am on my way.I am going on this excursion.I would really like to see what Commander Robinson is up to this time,” Prowlith instructed.She watched the aide leave, then turned and toggled on the video communicator to make her report and to let her mate know of her plans.**

**  
**

**Within six hours she was sitting in the guest’s chair watching the embarkation of the small fleet.While not as much as she would have liked, this small fleet of one battle-ready cruiser, three light escort vessels and a transport ship would have to do.The transport had an array of scout and reconnaissance ships in her bays.Prowlith was pleased at the speed with which this small police force had assembled itself and she just hoped that it would be enough and that they would arrive soon enough.**

**  
**

**“Commander Llriloris, you have read the scan of the situation.We must make haste to the ssMrillorrin system before these crystals can be used.” **

**  
**

**“Agreed, Commander Prowlith.We can only hope there has been enough resistance from the ssMrillorrin to delay the departure of the Zrilon invaders,” the fleet commander replied and turning to his second in command, made the order to leave the system.**

**  
**

**  
**

**==========================**

**  
**

**  
**

**Maureen was shocked when John suddenly appeared before her.Silverado squeaked from her shoulder, where he had been laying dejectedly ever since John’s disappearance.Without saying a word, John took her in his arms and hugged her fiercely.She could feel a strange sort of tingling emanating from him, which she attributed to the influence of the flame crystal.‘_I need your help_,’ he finally told her.His telepathic ‘voice’ was strained and stress-filled.She could feel, slightly, the cacophony of telepathic clutter in his mind as he spoke to her.It was like the background noise on an old recording that was turned up too loud.**

**  
**

**Pulling back only slightly, she could see in his eyes the fierce battle he was waging within himself to remain in control.‘_Of course, my love.What can I do?’_’ she asked.**

**  
**

**‘_Focus on Dad’s house and go there with me.’_**

** **

**** __  
_ ****  
_

**Automatically, she did so, but wondered at his choice of rendezvous points.Earth would not be the quietest place to try and regain one’s telepathic equilibrium.She saw Penny and Judy sending worried looks her way and she made a motion to reassure them just before the darkness of teleportation overtook her.**

**  
**

**Then she was standing in Frank Robinson’s living room, the elder Robinson staring at them, deep anxiety etched on his face.“Rest,” John murmured and collapsed in her arms.Frank helped her carry him to the couch.Silverado sat on his chest and chirped mournfully.Roberta came from the kitchen and looked at John and the lizard and then at Maureen.Silverado continued to squeak softly, sadly.**

**  
**

**“Stop feeling sorry for yourself.The roles are simply reversed and now we have to help John,” Maureen snapped at the depressed flutter-dragon.She felt a soft, whispery kind of amusement in her head and looked around at her in-laws.**

**  
**

**“That was John,” Frank said, looking around the room and then feeling foolish for doing such an illogical thing.“Wasn’t it, Johnny?”**

**  
**

**‘_Yes, Dad, it’s me.Maureen, don’t be so hard on Silverado, he tried his best.He was willing.The best description of what is going on now, is what I did when Qurilis was teaching me back on Krimlon.’_**

** **

**_  
_** __****  
  
**“The out of body experience?” she asked, puzzled.**  
“John, I’m confused.You  
don’t seem to have the telepathic overload, as Silverado described it, now that you are separate from your physical self.  
I wonder why.”There  
was a long pause in which everyone stood around waiting for someone to say something.

__ **** ‘Interesting point. Maybe Silverado has some insight on that, because, frankly, I  
don’t know. I just found that it’s so.’  
**** There  
was another pause. ‘Silverado informed me that it has something to do with the  
physical synaptic processes of the brain, if I __  
_understood his zanling reasoning correctly._ __  
That is where all sensory input is assimilated and processed. It is a physical process.  


Sounds reasonable.  
I should have thought of that myself.   
But I have also found that I have not been able to think very clearly lately.'

**Maureen  
** laughed pleasantly.“John,  
that last thought is an understatement. Hmm, what Silverado says makes a  
great deal of sense to me, too.If  
you could find a way to divorce yourself from the physical stimuli long  
enough to build a shield, then dealing with the real world would be much  
easier.Also, if you are  
going to have to destroy those other flame crystals, you will have to  
deal with Zrilon thoughts, too,” Maureen reasoned.  
She hated the thought of John in yet another dangerous situation,  
but knew that he would do it anyway, simply because it had to be done. 

  


**“Flame crystals?Zrilons?What kind of dangerous situation have you gotten yourself into this time, son?” Frank asked, still a bit disconcerted that he was talking into the air.**

**  
**   


_ **‘Dad, a flame crystal is what I assimilated that enhanced my telepathic abilities.It is with its power that I’m going to destroy the other crystals that were stolen by a race of aliens called the Zrilons,’ ** _ ** John explained.  **

**  
**   


**“Why you, John?” Roberta said accusingly.“Wasn’t it enough to fight the Graxod?” **

**  
**

**‘_It was thought that Silverado, here, was the only being capable of assimilating a crystal and doing the job, but because of his lack of physical maturity, the flame crystal rejected him.I just happened to be standing there to catch it.I was volunteered for the job, so to speak.I have to follow it through, Roberta, because if the Zrilon aren’t stopped, they will have weapons and power that will make the Graxod seem like contestants in a Kindergarten playground squabble.’_**

** **

**** __  
_ ****  
_

**There was an uncomfortable silence that seemed to head into eternity.No one spoke, thoughts floated in eddies of ideas pondered and ideas discarded.Maureen heard only the grandfather clock in the corner and the harshness of her own breathing, and she wondered remotely, why after such a short time she was already beginning to suffer from oxygen deprivation.The only explanation she had was the effect of the teleportation itself, or the stress of the situation.Maybe both, she finally decided.**

**  
**


	17. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
# ****

**Chapter Seventeen-**

**The Battle Begins**

**After a silence that seemed to stretch into eternity, Silverado squeaked loudly and launched himself into the air._‘Books and music,’ _he said brightly. **

**“What do you mean, Silverado?” Maureen asked.**

**‘_John is most relaxed when reading to the baby or listening to music with you, Maureen,” _Silverado explained.**

**“You mean a focal point?Something to focus on?” Maureen asked, excited.“Yes, music, John.I have read that if you can focus on music then it’s much easier to excise unwanted thoughts from the mind.Nothing really scientific about it, but it works.” **

**‘_I’m certainly willing to try.I feel that I could eventually focus enough to build a shield against unwanted ‘clutter,’ but time is something I don’t think we have a great deal of right now.What should we try?’_**

_**** _

_**“**_**John, how about that piece that you had on the CD player after we were finally reunited,” Maureen suggested. **

**‘ “_Whiter Shade of Pale?”Yes.Would you care to dance, dear heart?’ _John asked tenderly, realizing the wisdom of her suggestion and wanting something sedate and sane in the recent days of insanity.**

**“I don’t have that one, John,” the elder Robinson said.**

**“Don’t need it, Dad,” John said softly, standing up from the couch, his eyes only on Maureen.Suddenly in everyone’s head, the haunting melody played, even to the gentle tone of piano keys and the strains of a keyboard.Taking his wife’s hand, John pulled her out to an open space, and led her in a slow dance, focusing on the music and beyond that, a shield to hold out the peripheral, unimportant thoughts.The melody became part of the shield, a barricade to the fear, anger and despair that had beat against his consciousness.Maureen kept her thoughts still, knowing that her husband needed no distractions while he worked.She felt comfort in the warm closeness of his body, his strong arms and the steady beating of his heart, even though she knew his mind was busy elsewhere.**

**“Thank you, darling,” John finally murmured, after the song had repeated itself in their minds three times.‘_Thanks, Silverado,’_he told the lizard.“I think I have a handle on it now.I’ll have to work on lowering and raising my shield at will, though.Have to do it on the fly.”**

**“Best place to do that is the Jupiter II.Don and Will are the only ones on board, other than the robots,” Maureen suggested.“We can also send out for help from there.” **

**Nodding, John turned to his father.“Dad, I seem to have been coming home lately under the worst of circumstances. This time I came because when I was unable to cope with everything hitting me at once, my only thought was of home.Maybe it was the home of my past, with Mom alive and things seemingly simpler, but still this is where my subconscious brought me.Thanks for being here for me, both of you,” he said, looking also at Roberta.**

**“My dear, I think we need to head to our present home,” he said to Maureen, and then stopped, gazing at her.“This trip took it out of you, didn’t it?” he asked, concerned, realizing that he was not feeling the heaviness in his chest that his wife was.John pondered and suddenly was aware of the internal workings of the bio-adaptive device, and knew that it was having no effect on his body.The flame crystal had negated its effects.Thinking on his trip to get Maureen, he contemplated the power of the crystal that was now a part of his body, and was astonished.**

****

**“Yes, dear, I just hope that Don and Will fixed up a suitable place to replenish,” she quipped.**

**Without a word, John held his hand over her device, concentrating on the mechanism and the biological changes that it induced in her body.He felt Silverado’s mind lending strength and direction to his own.When he pulled his hand away, the small device came with it.**

**Her chest heaved, and her eyes showed great relief.Looking at him in something akin to awe, she said, “Thank you, dear.”It felt so good to breathe the air and not suffer the desperate need for oxygen that she had felt lately whenever she was out of the water.She sighed, reveling in the feel of ‘regular’ air. **

**Reaching behind his head, John carefully pulled his own device away.“Keep yours, Maureen.You may need it again when we return,” he said.“It’s a simple mechanism working in conjunction with the brain.It was a simple matter of looking inside its workings and turning it off, just as the technicians would have done at the Homeplace with an electrical device.Silverado showed me how to probe its inner workings,” he explained before she could ask.“My mind had already done it subconsciously without my knowing.”**

**Looking up at his father, he just smiled. “I don’t know what the end result of all this will be, but I fully intend on traveling straight to Alpha Centauri after this little foray is over.In the meantime, give this to the boy wonders at Alpha Control.They’ll love working on something like this,” John said with a smile. **

**Frank Robinson covered the short distance across the living room and took his youngest son in his arms.“Johnny, I just want you to be careful.I hear they have an exploratory scout craft on Alpha Centauri and it makes periodic contact with Alpha Control.When you get there, call home, will you? I’m getting too old for all this heart stopping foo foo rah.”**

**“Sure, Dad.I’ll make sure and do that,” John promised.Roberta gave him a hug, her tears near the surface.Both Robinsons hugged Maureen and then the couple was standing together with nothing left to say.Suddenly they were gone.The only sounds were the ticking of the clock and Frodo’s soft purring as he wrapped himself around his master’s ankles.**

**=======================**

**“Don, can we contact the Homeplace now and find out if Judy, Penny and Mark are all right?” Will asked plaintively.**

**“Yes.We are on the same wavelength, Will,” Don answered, switching on the communications panel.**

**“There’s no need, Don.Everyone except Murreena’s podmate, Murwon, is fine,” came an unexpected voice behind them.Pivoting around, the pilot was astonished to see John and Maureen standing arm in arm next to the navigational console.The Robot’s bubble head snapped upward to its full extension in surprise and then back down again.**

**“Mom! Dad!” Will shouted, running and hugging both.“I was so worried about you.Did you go to Krimlon?Or Earth?” **

**John laughed.“Both.” he said, ruffling his son’s hair.Silverado lifted his head up and squeaked dramatically.“What is the status of the Zrilons now?When I was down on ssMrillorrin, the Zrilons had just left and everyone was berating themselves about it.”**

**“They are just reaching the fringes of this solar system, Professor Robinson,” the Robot intoned.**

**“They must be pretty sure of themselves or we were gone for a shorter time than we thought we were,” John said, walking over to the long distance scanners and making some adjustments.“Hmm, how many ships did they have?” **

**“Two large ones,” Don answered.“Why?”**

**“There’s about a dozen ships out there now.” **

**“Hot damn!” Don cried.“That bunch from the Confederation was quick.”**

**John looked at his friend for a moment, nodded and then gazed at the Robot.“Very good thinking, my friend.Looks as though this might be solved easier than I had previously thought.” **

**‘_John, we still have to go on board and physically destroy the crystals.And it needs to be done before they can install them into their weapons systems,’ _Silverado reminded him.**

**“I was afraid you would say that,” John replied wryly.“Let’s go, then.Surely the Zrilons will not sit around with a shipment of these crystals without trying them in their weapons systems,” John said decisively.Turning, he saw Maureen behind him.**

**She flung herself into his arms and kissed him fiercely, her lips saying what she didn’t trust her voice to tell him.Finally she drew back.“John, come back,” was all she could say, feeling an ominous foreboding about all of this.**

**“Of course I will, Mo,” he said huskily.He felt her misgivings.Finally he drew back, brushing an errant red lock of hair off of her forehead with one finger.“I love you and I will be back.I promise you, dearest, I will be back,” he added fervently. **

**“Prowlith just called and said she will provide whatever support you may need.I took the liberty of explaining a little of your ‘mission’ to her,” Maureen said, still holding on to his hand.**

**Reluctantly letting go of Maureen’s hand, he gathered his thoughts and concentrated. Silverado fluttered over to his shoulder and added his telepathic strength to that of his bondling.In the blink of an eye they were gone and Maureen was left staring at the space on the deck where John had just stood.**

**================**

**Commander Llriloris stared in shock when a human and zanling suddenly, without any warning, appeared before him and Commander Prowlith.He half started out of his chair, his hand on the sidearm resting at his hip, when Prowlith growled a friendly greeting.“Commander Robinson, well met!”**

**Llriloris continued getting up, but extended his hand in the greeting universal with most humanoids.“Commander Robinson, welcome aboard, although I wish I had had better warning of your arrival.Am I to understand that you are planning on going aboard and destroying the kenno flame crystals single handedly?”**

**“So to speak, Commander.The crystals can only be destroyed by another crystal.I assimilated a crystal on ssMrillorrin, which means that only I can destroy the others.Silverado is accompanying me to help me telepathically trigger the destruction,” John explained.**

**“May the deities go with you,” Llriloris murmured.**

****

**“Thank you, Commander,” John commented with an appreciative smile.“I am unfamiliar with the layout of the Zrilon ships.I need a safe place to teleport to; somewhere near the most likely storage of the crystals.”**

**“Yes,” the commander said, turning to a blank wall.“Computer, show diagrams of the most likely places of crystal storage.”The wall suddenly transformed itself into a graphic representation of a Zrilon ship, zeroing in on a small cargo hold just below the command deck.**

**“Seems the captain doesn’t trust anyone else to keep an eye on the crystals,” John commented wryly.“Won’t make the job any easier….Another map appeared, this time showing living quarters for the ship’s officers.John sighed.“I’ll start there.Probably less congested.”Several other diagrams appeared, in order of their probability of usage for the crystals.**

**“Remember, Commander Robinson, the Zrilon ships are built with only five foot head space.The zanling will have an easy time of it, but you had better duck.”**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Eighteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility18.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fiction](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
**[Main Page](http://www.bookscape.net/index.htm)**


	18. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Eighteen-**

**Destruction and Mayhem**

**Facing the view screen, John closed his eyes and concentrated on the schematics he had been shown.Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he staggered back a step.He felt a drawing force, something pulling at him, followed by an answering heat from within his own body.Looking down at his hand, he saw a slight pulsing similar to what had occurred when he had assimilated the crystal.“I should have realized.I could have found the crystals by attraction,” he murmured.Silverado squeaked in confirmation of the discovery.Turning, he found Prowlith at his side.**

**“Are you all right?You seem flushed,” she asked. **

**“Yes.I just discovered that we don’t need to guess where the crystals are. I just have to follow this,” John explained, holding up his hand.“We’d better go now, before the Zrilons decide to use the crystals to enhance their weapons before they get to their home planet.”**

**Sitting down on the deck, he concentrated again.The answering warmth seemed to grow in intensity and suddenly he felt a change in temperature and atmosphere.Opening his eyes, he found himself in a small cabin, someone’s living quarters and he guessed this was the captain’s room.It was devoid of life forms and very austere in furnishings.A small cabinet glowed from the far side of the room and John got up and approached in a crouching position.This would get old, he decided, quickly reaching the box and trying to determine its contents without opening it.Never could tell when something that valuable might be booby-trapped.He tapped into the power of the crystal inside him and felt its answering heat.**

**It contained flame crystals and a device.‘_Silverado, let’s see if we can accomplish this without opening the box.It seems to be protected.’_**

****

**_‘Concentrate on the crystals, John.I will use what Qurilis taught me and feed you the destruction frequencies,’ _Silverado told him.**

** **

**John did as he was told and felt a white-hot heat surge through his body and into the hand that hovered just above the cabinet.His breath quickened and he felt his heart racing.Closing his eyes in concentration, he received the destruction formula and tied it with the power of the crystal inside him.The heat flared to an intensity just short of pain, and a visual image of the destruction glowed against his closed eyelids.**

**‘_John!John!Wake up!’ _Silverado screamed in his head.With a slight groan, John returned to full consciousness and saw a small pile of slag on the floor in front of him.**

**‘_How long have I been out?’ _he asked, still a bit groggy.His hand ached.**

**‘_Just a couple of minutes.How do you feel?’_**

****

**_‘A bit wasted, if you want to know the truth.Let’s get out of here,’ _John said.**

** **

**‘_Check for more, John.This didn’t seem like enough crystals to be all of them,’_ Silverado ordered.**

**‘_Of course,’_ John answered with chagrin at his carelessness.He still felt hot from the crystal’s destructive forces and reached up to unfasten the top of his flight suit.Concentrating, he sought for more crystals and found evidence of another cache of them.“Great,” he muttered.‘_Another store of the crystals near the command deck. Llriloris’ computer was accurate.Let’s go.’_**

****

**Again John closed his eyes and concentrated on teleporting to the other cache, but was interrupted by the noise of the door opening.A Zrilon sentry was just entering, his ciliated legs making little clicking noises on the slightly roughened decking.Wasting no time on amenities, John made a leaping grab for the crab-like creature, landing with full force on top of the alien.It flattened against the deck with a creaking thump and lay still.The professor scrambled to his knees, grabbing the tiny weapon from the Zrilon’s claw-like hand and holding it on the still form. **

**After reassuring himself that the creature was unconscious, John tucked the little weapon inside his belt and again resumed his position of intense concentration.Feeling Silverado’s flow of strength made the task easier and after a few seconds John opened his eyes to an almost stygian darkness.The air was even cooler here than in the captain’s cabin.John shivered from the cold, zipping his silver suit all the way back up again, wishing these creatures would regulate their ship’s temperature.A slight glow in front of him indicated the other store of crystals.The pair went through the same routine, and although John didn’t loose consciousness this time, he felt a terrible lethargy sweeping through his body.This time the heat didn’t make him uncomfortable, but he felt the sweat from his efforts trickling down his face.**

**‘_Let’s see if there are any more of these things,’ _he said, and again concentrated.It was harder to focus this time and it took longer.There were more.‘_Onward, faithful companion…’_A clattering noise made him jump up, causing him to hit his head on the ceiling.‘_What the hell was that?Are they on to us?’_**

****

**_‘I’m afraid our destruction of the other crystals has been discovered, John.We must go to the other cache, destroy it and leave before more guards are posted,’ _Silverado concurred. **

**Without moving from his position, John closed his eyes and let the draw of the next cache of crystals pull him to them.He felt increasingly tired and hoped this third cache was the last of them.And cold… he felt so cold.A clicking sound made him snap his eyes open, just in time to see two Zrilon sentries aiming their weapons at him.Without thinking, John rolled to the ground at the same time jerking the tiny weapon out from his belt.Aiming, he pushed the firing button and with a clattering noise, one of the aliens fell to the deck in a heap.The blast of the other’s weapon seared the air above his head, and he heard a scream in his mind.John continued his rolling motion in the low quarters, while trying to make contact with Silverado.Firing the weapon again, he was satisfied when he saw the second Zrilon fall limp.**

**Looking around him, he discovered Silverado motionless on the deck near his feet, one wing tip totally seared off.Waves of pain radiated from the unconscious creature’s mind and John tried to send soothing communications to ease his friend’s suffering.Tendrils of anger and frustration edged under his telepathic shield and the professor knew that his time to destroy these crystals was limited; reinforcements were on their way.Taking the injured flutter-dragon into his hands, he concentrated on the Jupiter II.The searing heat again washed through his body, dispelling the cold that had been intense enough to make him shiver.**

**Suddenly his hands were empty, limp at his side, and he had to assume that Silverado was safe on board the Jupiter.Turning to the small crate of crystals, he saw as well as felt the pulsing glow and reached his hand toward the cache.He noticed, with chagrin that his fingers were trembling, but closing his eyes, he focused on the destruction of crystals.It was so hard, so frustrating, he kept seeing Silverado’s limp form in his mind’s eye, kept feeling the penetrating cold.Forcing everything else from his mind, he played the telepathic sequence that would cause the breakdown of the molecular pattern of the crystals in the small container.**

**Sweat rolled into his eyes, down his neck and back.Heat, welcome, comforting heat, came from inside him and from the heap of slag under his hand-- and from the laser blast that shot past his ear.Opening his eyes with a snap, he threw himself over the destroyed crystals and behind larger crates.Wiping his face with his sleeve, he listened for the sentries. Hearing the slight clattering of the ciliated legs approaching from around the crate, John padded behind yet another crate and tried to concentrate on other crystals.He couldn’t leave until he knew.Focus.Focus!Nothing.The professor wished he knew if that meant no more crystals or just that he wasn’t able to concentrate well enough.**

**A Zrilon appeared around the corner of the crate and John fired the little weapon, dropping his attacker instantly.Reaching over he grabbed the other’s pistol, shoving it in his belt.Again he tried to concentrate, feeling the warmth of the crystal inside him, but again there was no draw, no indication of other crystals and John assumed he and Silverado had found and destroyed them all.Time to leave.A laser bolt came from his other side, much too close for comfort.Throwing himself to the side he blasted the sentry into unconscious oblivion.**

**He had to get to a safe place; there were too many Zrilons.As he tried to slip from one crate to another in his quest to make an escape, he found his route blocked, forcing him back into his corner.Suddenly the ship shook and groaned.Another sentry fired around his protective crate and John fired back, missing.His position was too easily taken and he took the chance of rushing the guards on his right, diving over the smaller crate, his eyes darting around the room, trying to get the number and positions of each of the guards.Firing as he dashed to a safer position, he realized morosely, that the only doorway into and out of the storage room was too well guarded.Scuttling behind another crate, John felt it shudder with the combined shots of several guards.**

**Panting, John sat against the bulkhead and tried to concentrate on watching for Zrilons.He began shivering and held his free arm as close to his body as he could.Then he tried to concentrate on teleporting himself back to Prowlith’s ship, without success.Another concussion hit the ship and John wondered if the confederation had tired of waiting for either the Zrilon’s to surrender or for him to finish his job.Perhaps the crab-like creatures had tired of the stalemate and had fired on the Confederation ships.Whatever…**

**His eyes closed of their own volition and he leaned his head back against the bulkhead in complete exhaustion.**

**==================**

**“I am worried, Commander Llriloris.We have not heard from Commander Robinson.I fear something may have happened to them,” Prowlith said.**

** **

**“And I, for one, am tired of this waiting.Hale them and give them until the next kentron to surrender.We cannot sit here forever and, as you said, we haven’t heard from Commander Robinson.If he is still working to destroy the crystals, this might be a welcome diversion,” Llriloris mused.**

**The answer for the new demand of surrender was the detonation of a laser shot across the bow.The ship rocked slightly, but remained steady otherwise.“Check for damage.Return fire, hit them on a one to three cycle; make sure you hit areas that will cause damage, but not the destruction of that ship.Commander Robinson is probably still on board.Raise our shields between salvos,” the commander ordered.**

**The Zrilon ship rocked from the blasts, but there was no other indication that they had had any effect on them.“Commander, the other ship is lowering its defensive shields.Should we prepare for return fire?” a helmsman asked.**

**“Yes, if they fire, return it on the same cycle we are already using.Contact the launch bays and order the scouts to stand by,” came Llriloris’ quick reply.For several minutes the only sound was of computers, murmured reports being sent and received and slight movement of the ship as shock waves hit her periodically. **

**Prowlith stood near Llriloris, her claws gripping the back of the command chair in a deadly grip.Her tail lashed her agitation, her tufted ears moved back and forth.‘_John Robinson, what is happening to you?Why don’t you return, contact us, somehow let us know what is going on?’ _she kept asking herself morosely.**

**===================**

**Silverado woke long enough from his painful oblivion to see that he was no longer on the Zrilon ship, and he squeaked his distress loudly.John had sent him here; had sent him away from him.Looking at his damaged wing, he made a soft cheeping moan and called to his friends.Jimmy Doolittle swooped down the stairwell and caressed him under the chin in sympathy.‘_What happened?’_**

**_‘Attacked.Destroyed most of the crystals and John sent me here when I was hurt.He is still on the Zrilon ship and I cannot help him,’ _he answered despondently.The pain was intense, keeping him from concentrating on trying to communicate with John or one of the other members of the family.**

** **

**Lucy swooped down the stairwell, followed closely by Penny.“Oh, Silverado.Oh, dear,” she murmured.Turning to Lucy, she ordered, “Get the others and bring them here.Silverado is in pain and needs all of you to help him.”**

**‘_Need to go back and help your dad,’ _he pleaded.**

**_‘Absolutely not!Dad can take care of himself, you are going nowhere,’ _Penny admonished the injured flutter-dragon. **

** **

**All of the lizards gathered around their injured comrade and send soothing telepathic messages to him, easing Silverado’s pain and mental torment.Soon, even though he protested, the silver zanling slowly slipped into unconsciousness.Penny next proceeded to dress and bandage as best she could, the injured extremity.Leaving Silverado in the care of his comrades, she went above to let the others know what had happened.Penny could only wonder what was happening to her father, and wished her telepathic abilities were strong enough to link with him. Then she thought that if she could, she might distract him. With a sigh, Penny let everyone know what she had learned.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Nineteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility19.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fiction](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
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	19. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Nineteen**

**Passages**

**John woke in time to see a Zrilon in front of him, with several others behind it, all of them holding weapons.His eyes were blurred, but he felt it unwise to move his hand to wipe the sweat away.His joints ached, he felt slightly nauseated and he was shivering with cold.Chuckling softly, the professor felt, for all the world like he had the flu, and he couldn’t help but see the irony of the situation.**

**“Why are you laughing, humanoid excrement?Our weapons are set to kill you slowly and painfully,” the lead Zrilon demanded, his translator clacking furiously.**

**“Because, you jackass, I’m sick enough that I don’t really care what you do to me right now.”The translator clacked for a moment and the Zrilon moved backward several paces.**

**‘_I lied,’ _John thought in despair, ‘_I do care.’_He pondered furiously for a solution to this predicament.He looked down at his hand, which was throbbing painfully.‘_A shield?A physical shield?’_He tried to focus and felt the warmth that accompanied the crystal’s activity.‘_A shield…a shield…build a shield,’_ he kept saying to himself, until it became a mental chant.The warmth became a heat that wasn’t very comforting this time.Closing his eyes seemed to help his concentration somewhat and he didn’t open them until he saw a bright glow beyond his eyelids.**

**Wincing, despite himself, John saw the bright points of laser blasts bouncing off a nearly invisible shield, some of them ricocheting back to the attacking Zrilon.Clacking whistles accompanied mental screams of dying anguish, but John couldn’t maintain the telepathic shield along with this physical one.Finally, the Zrilon backed off and waited near the entrance for his next move.Deciding to take advantage of the situation, John tried to get up, making it to a half crouch, before the ship was hit with another blast and he fell to his hands and knees.A Zrilon decided to see if the protective shield was still working and ducked when the blast bounced back at him.**

**John was again trying to get up when another blast hit the ship, this time the groaning and shrieking of tormented metal coming clearer to his ears.The Confederation ships must have hit something explosive, the professor thought as he fell to the decking with a bone-rattling jar.The thought that this little shield of his might not protect him in the vacuum of space spurred John to attempt teleportation again.**

**The translator shrieked with the curses of the Zrilon leader, but John forced that out of his mind, quickly lowering the protective shield to use his remaining strength for teleportation.Again the focus; again the chant; again his desire to reunite with his family.No! Not the Jupiter II!That might be too far to teleport himself, so he focused on Prowlith instead.Prowlith.Safety….This time the heat was painful…Focus, focus….**

**Surprised gasps sounded in his ears and John opened his eyes to see Prowlith standing wide-eyed above him, her tail flicking in agitation.“Sick…Sorry….”As his body gave up the fight to stay conscious, he remotely saw a bright glow out of the corner of his eye.The decking shuddered as he slipped into total, blissful oblivion.**

**In shock, Prowlith stared down at the flushed and shivering human at her feet, and she wondered what he could have picked up so quickly on the Zrilon ship.Behind her, Llriloris called out orders.“Sick bay, get a quarantine crew down here on the double!You will be dealing with an Earth human.”**

**Squatting down, she touched his forehead with a clawed finger.“Prowlith, you have no idea what has caused his sickness,” Llriloris admonished her. **

**“No, but he returned by focusing on me.If what he has is contagious, I have already caught it.No, I will have to be quarantined as well, Commander, and I will stay by him until he is in sickbay.He is burning up with a fever.”She turned to Llriloris, a worried look in her eyes.“How could something work so quickly?”**

**A flash of fear showed on the commander’s face, but he quickly hid it.The medical team in full quarantine gear arrived at that moment, and he watched silently as the human was placed on a transfer cart and carried out of the command center.A doctor stayed behind taking samples and checking the crew.**

**In sickbay, Prowlith watched as the medical team worked on Commander Robinson.A technician checked her over at the same time.Instruments chirped, muttered and growled.After what seemed an interminable time, the head physician approached her.**

**“It would seem, Commander, that the human has nothing that is contagious to us.We have run every test and the computers have analyzed every sample and reading three times.”**

**Prowlith was incredulous.“Then what’s wrong with him?” **

**“He has an infection of some kind.We cannot determine what is causing it.There are no wounds, external or internal, but we will run more tests to try and find the cause.We have to; it is all we can do to maintain his temperature at a reasonable level.We are intravenously keeping fluids in him.If it wasn’t for that assimilated device, we might have an easier time figuring out the source of the infection.”**

**“May I see him?”Her thoughts were that John Robinson, himself, might be able to provide clues into what had struck him down.**

**“Yes, but his hold on lucidity will be tenuous at best,” the doctor said.Prowlith nodded and approached the human commander. **

**“So I made it,” he murmured when he saw her.**

**“Yes, Commander Robinson.Do you have any idea what might be causing your sickness?” **

**He paused so long, with eyes closed, that Prowlith wondered if he was asleep again.“Can’t think.But I’ll make you a deal.”**

**“What?” she asked, in a puzzled tone.**

**“I will not call you Ms. Prowlith… if you just call me John.” **

**She couldn’t help it, she burst out in a growling laugh.He smiled slightly.“Of course, John, it is a deal.”**

**“I just wish I knew how Silverado was,” he murmured a few minutes later.**

**“Your zanling friend?He didn’t come back with you.”**

**“Sent him to the Jupiter.He was injured by a laser blast.”**

**“We’ll contact your ship and ask.The last I heard they were on their way here, John.” **

**“Thanks.I think…we destroyed all the crystals.Only one left is mine.”He sighed and closed his eyes.This time she knew he was asleep.**

**Heading for the communications console, she ordered the central communications to contact the Jupiter II.As soon as contact was made, they sent it to her console.“This is Will Robinson, what can we do for you?”**

**Prowlith remembered the boy from the first visit.“I am Commander Prowlith.I am requesting some information for your sire,” she explained. **

**“Dad?How is he, Commander?” **

**“He is in our sickbay with an infection of some kind, but our doctors are taking good care of him.He was inquiring about his zanling companion.”She hated to hedge, but she really preferred to tell his life-mate the bad news, rather than the child, no matter how mature that child might be.**

**“He’s in shock, be we think he’ll be fine with time.Our ETA is three hours, twenty minutes.Too many ships in the area to use the hyper-drive all the way in,” Will told her. **

**“I will tell your sire, Will Robinson.Thank you for your information.”**

**“Tell him we love him.”**

**“Yes, I will be sure to tell him that.”**

**After the connection closed, she turned back to John.He was awake again and watched her approach with fever bright eyes.“Get my family?”**

**“Yes, and they send their love.I couldn’t tell them how sick you are, John, since I was talking with your cub.They will be here in a few hours.”**

**“I appreciate that…Silverado?”**

**“He is in shock, but they feel he will fully recover.”The doctor approached and whispered in her ear.“Good news, John.The remaining Zrilon ships have surrendered, and you did destroy all the crystals.”**

**“Good…” His voice trailed off and she saw that he was once again asleep.During the next few hours she stayed near his bedside, talking to him when he was awake, but mostly watching him sleep.Finally, she heard the sick bay doors open and saw John’s life-mate dash in. **

**“They told me how sick John was.Why didn’t you tell me?” she demanded, her voice quivering with fear and anxiety.**

**“I was speaking with your cub.I was not about to tell him,” Prowlith explained to the anxious human. **

**“Mo.”John smiled and reached for her hand.Prowlith backed off.One of the zanlings glided off Maureen Robinson’s shoulder and landed on John’s chest.“I told you I would come back,” he murmured.“As soon as I kick this bug, I want to go home…”**

**“Of course, John,” she said, holding his hand and feeling the throbbing of heat emanating from him, watching him slip into unconsciousness again.**

**Maggie had been peering closely at the sick man.Suddenly she looked up and chirped stridently.‘_Maureen.His body is fighting the crystal.’_**

****

**Horror stricken, Maureen looked up and saw the doctor and Prowlith watching from across the room.“The infection is caused by the crystal.Somehow we have to get it out of him,” she announced.**

** **

**Maureen felt the heat in John’s hand, and thought of the moment when he had assimilated the crystal.Grabbing his hand in a tighter grip between both of hers, she closed her eyes and concentrated.She focused on the crystal, whole and out of his body.Maggie’s head lightly touched her hands and Maureen felt the lizard’s telepathic strength.The throbbing in John’s hand intensified, and he began to moan and then cry out in pain.Then there was heat, an intensely searing, but not physically burning heat.John’s cries echoed her own as the crystal coalesced in their hands and assimilated into her body.She screamed at the torment, the intense pain of a foreign body taking up residence in her body, and she dropped to the floor writhing in agony.**

** **

**Vaguely she heard Maggie’s squeak of distress and then there was only pain.She felt the children’s thoughts trying to contact her, soothe her, take away her hurts, but Maureen could only feel, she couldn’t respond.The pain became all-consuming, filling every molecule, every atom of her being.How could anyone stand this?From a distance she heard screaming and realized it was her own, echoing as though from a tunnel, next reverberating in her skull, matching the rhythm of her own heartbeat. **

**‘_Maureen, I am here.Do you feel my presence?’ _**

****

**She had no idea who it was comforting her, but she welcomed it, grabbed at it, like a dying man in the desert after the thimble of water.Her oasis.‘_Yes, I feel…’_**

****

**_‘Hold on to me.’_**

**Maureen felt something smooth and cool under her touch and she let her hot and trembling fingers rest on the source of her solace.It was a flutter-dragon, but which one?Then she felt the crystal coalesce, withdraw from her body, rest momentarily on her hand, before being drawn into the liberator next to her.Cool, dark, silent oblivion greeted her and she was unaware of pain or anything else.**  
  
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**[Chapter Twenty](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility20.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/tranquility1.htm)**  
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	20. Planet of Tranquility

Planet of Tranquility

_**Planet of Tranquility**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter 20**

**Tranquility at Last**

** **

**Mark was almost getting too big to rest on her hip, and Judy looked around for a chair to sit on.She glanced back at her sleeping parents and sighed.Dad was resting easily, looking almost boyish in repose.His hair was longer than she had ever seen it and it added to the appearance of youth.Mom, on the other hand, still seemed to be in pain, occasionally moaning and thrashing.**

**Mark began squirming and fussing.There was no indication of hunger or discomfort; it was more a longing.Concentrating on her son’s thoughts, she felt his desire for something and then realized that Mark wanted his grandparents, most particularly Mom.Feeling that his presence might be soothing to her, Judy walked over and set the baby next to his grandmother.Mark’s flutter-dragon sat on the foot of the bed and squeaked his encouragement.Crawling near Maureen’s side, he lay down, his head resting on her shoulder.Soon Maureen and Mark were sleeping peacefully, expressions of contentment on both faces.Judy was amazed and could only stare in bewilderment.After awhile she felt someone’s eyes on her and turning, saw her father watching the occupants of the other bed. **

**“He has quite a talent, Princess,” Dad murmured.**

**“How do you feel, Dad?” she asked.**

**“I feel fine, just tired.”There was a long pause.“Your mom took the crystal.”It was a statement of fact, not a question. **

**“Yes.”**

**“I wish she hadn’t.I could feel what it did to her.”He paused.“It allowed her to, knowing that I couldn’t hold it anymore.”Looking up at Judy, he continued, “I learned a lot in the semiconscious state after the crystal left me.”**

**“Was it sentient?”**

**“I don’t think so, but there was some form of instinctive active response mechanism in those things.I am glad to be rid of it.”His gaze returned to his wife and for a few minutes, the only sound was that of machinery.“I’m glad that your mother was able to get rid of it quickly.Where is it now?”**

**“Maggie took it and gave it to Silverado.He assimilated it.Where he is, I don’t know.He disappeared shortly after he took the crystal,” Judy explained.**

**“He did?It was meant for him in the first place.Guess he was ready for it now.” **

**Maureen stirred slightly and opened her eyes, looking around in confusion.**

**“Welcome back to the land of the conscious and coherent, dear heart,” John said.**

**“Oh, John.It’s over, isn’t it?Finally?”**

**‘_Yes, Mo.It’s finally over.We’re free.Free to go home.’_**

**========================**

**Penny stood at the edge of the beach watching Klik and his cousins dancing their farewells on the waves, their whistling wavering on the wind, and echoing in her heart.Murreena and Murwon stood next to her.‘_Your destiny lies on the planet you were meant to go to more than four years ago, Penny.This was just a sojourn, meant to provide you with happy memories.I hope your visit has done just that, despite the invasion of the Zrilons.’_**

**_‘Yes, Murreena, it has.Despite the theft of the crystals, it really has.’_**

**_‘Go in safety; go in peace.Find happiness on Gamma,’ _Murreena said as she and her pod mate slipped into the waters and disappeared.‘_Good-bye, John Robinson, Guardian.Good-bye to you all, your song will be sung in our Homeplaces for many cycles.’_**

****

**_‘Good-bye, Murreena, Murwon.Your song is part of us as well,’ _John said.They were left with only the sighing of the waves as they turned and entered the Jupiter II.The repulsor jets hummed, glowed and soon lifted the ship into the upper atmosphere and finally into the blackness of space.John entered the equations to make the hyper-drive jump to Gamma and with a quick warning, pushed the button to engage the engines.The stars melted, flowed and blended into van Gogh-ish art forms.With a sigh, John left the navigational console and headed to the lower deck.**

**“John, Silverado will return when he is ready.He is all right.I’m sure he is,” Maureen reassured him.**

**“I know he is,” he said simply, taking her in his arms.**

**===============__**

**Maureen looked down the slope they had just climbed with a great deal of pleasure.The golden-needled conifers swayed gently in the warm breeze that seemed to caress her and John as well.The golden yellow sun was warm on their backs.Below them the valley stretched a great distance, making the Jupiter and the Earth scout probe seem like toys left by some giant.She shivered a bit, remembering their encounter with real giants.**

**“Cold?” John asked, putting his arm around her.**

**“No, just remembering.Just thinking how beautiful and tranquil our new home seems,” she answered.**

**“Beautiful, yes.Tranquil; hmm, that’s what we said about ssMrillorrin.I will reserve judgments.”A squeaking caused them to look above their heads.Silverado and Maggie trilled a greeting from a branch.**

**“About time you caught up with us,” John remarked brightly.**

**‘_Been learning from Qurilis, healing,’ _Silverado answered.**

**“And how is your wing?” John asked, peering into the dense foliage of the tree.**

**The flutter-dragons floated down and landed on their shoulders.‘_All healed.The crystal allowed me to heal my burns before I put it in a safe place.I have to go back and practice using it until I am more fully grown.’_**

**That answered one question that had been bothering him since the destruction of the Zrilon invasion force.**

** **

**“Oh, John,” Maureen said, returning to their previous conversation.“This is home.And it is beautiful.We will make it our peaceful sanctuary,” she said fervently.**

**“Yes, I agree.But as beautiful as it is, I think we’d better get down below.You remember how cold it got when Judy and Don were here,” John reminded her. **

**“Yes, that’s true, but the Robot says that we are probably closer to the equator than the kids were.And Don himself says that the plant life seems a bit more lush in this valley,” Maureen replied.**

**“I concede, but I still think we should get down to the ship, before it gets dark.” **

**The descent was more quickly accomplished than their accent had been and soon they were standing near their home of more than four years.John looked fondly at the battered old ship.**

**“About time you returned,” Don chided them.**

**“We just wanted to survey our new domain.It’s every bit as beautiful as you described it, Don,” Maureen said, watching the sun slip toward the western hills.**

**“I guess I should check out the probe and try to send a message,” John said.Don followed.A cursory examination showed all of the small spacecraft’s systems working perfectly.John booted up the communications computer and typed in the hyper-drive transmission codes.Then he paused.**

**“You ought to go for something momentous, John.After all, we accomplished something quite wonderful and under less than perfect conditions,” Don said. **

**“No, Don.I’m just going to let them know we finally made it.Let them decide if it’s momentous or not,” John replied, and then turned the transmitter to ‘send.’ “Alpha Control.This is John Robinson from Jupiter Base,” he said, typing at the same time.“Primary mission accomplished.We have arrived on Gamma safely.Reporting verdant grasslands, rolling hills and plenty of room for more colonists.”**

**Several minutes of soft crackling static followed the transmission and then, “Congratulations, Professor Robinson, and thank God for your safe arrival.” **

**Keying off the transmitter, John looked up at the stars, and then he turned to Don.“Do you realize that we took almost the same time getting here after being lost as we were supposed to take in cryogenics?” **

**“The important thing, John, is that we got here.”**

**“Yes, we got here.We have arrived home.”**

**The End**  
  
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